ath Sc

Lessons

Adult

Call to the Kingdom

January, February, March 1990

Don and Helen Thomas

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Why Did

Go?

Because of our home envi-

ronment and early years on a mis-

sion station, then attendance at an

Adventist college where the con-

cept of service was paramount.

Our commitment to missions

required sacrifices (one daughter

is buried in the Ituri Forest in

Zaire and another at Solusi, Zim-

babwe), but our nearly forty years

of service in Africa has been an

expression of our gratitude for

what Jesus means to us.

Would We Go Again?

Yes, nothing is more rewarding than God's service. God has given us a

son and his bride, as well as a daughter and her family who actively support

the Church we love. What more could we wish for ?

Missionaries Still Needed:

The General Conference Secretariat currently has calls for over one

hundred inter-division workers, primarily in health care, teaching and

administrative professions. Applicants must have specific academic quali-

fications, successful experience, and good recommendations. For details,

write to Secretariat Information Service, 6840 Eastern Avenue NW, Wash-

ington, DC 20012

Contents

Call to the Kingdom

Church

Ministries

"Unto Us a Son Is Given"

The Messiah Comes

Citizens of the Kingdom

Our Father in Heaven

The Power of the Kingdom

Opposition to the Kingdom

A King Who Provides, Protects

and Saves

A Kingdom of Glory and Grace

Service for the King

10.

The Rejected King

11.

Signs of the Coming King

12.

The King Condemned

13.

Victory in Defeat

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Introduction to the Gospel of Matthew

Call to the Kingdom

Levi-Matthew was a despised tax collector when Jesus called him

from his collector's booth. Matthew often emphasizes the generous, gra-

cious forgiveness of Jesus and His loving acceptance of all who were

willing to turn to Him. Another unique characteristic of Matthew's

Gospel is that he includes individuals who do not seem to be as impor-

tant to the other Gospel writers. Matthew also portrays Jesus as standing

firmly for truth contrary to popular opinion.

This Gospel establishes Jesus' credibility as a legitimate "son of

David" and "son of Abraham." Compared with the other Gospel

writers, Matthew quotes the Old Testament most frequently in support

of Christ's ministry. At a time when would-be messiahs frequently arose

claiming to fulfill the Old Testament prophecies, Matthew took pains to

show that Jesus alone adequately met these requirements of messiahship.

In doing so, he had to deal with a large number of fallacious assump-

tions regarding the nature of the promised King.

Matthew begins Christ's genealogy with Abraham. This suggests his

orientation toward producing a Gospel intended to help the Jews accept

Christ as Messiah and King.

However, Matthew's Gospel appeals to Gentiles, as well as to Jews.

Its framework is set in the euphoric hope of the nation for their kingdom

to be restored and the Messiah to sit forever on the throne. But the

kingdom Jesus brought was not the popular kingdom of force, power,

and dogmatic authority that the chosen people expected. Instead, it was

and is an inner kingdom that still counts among its subjects those who

exhibit a humble, teachable spirit. Christ, the King of the kingdom of

grace within us, will return soon to reign as King of the eternal kingdom

of glory.

Matthew has organized his Gospel carefully. One way of viewing the

structure of what he has written appears below.

OVERVIEW OF THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

1:1-4:17

4:18-10:42

11:1-16:20

16:21-28:20

THE COMING

OF THE KING

THE CAMPAIGN OF

THE KING

THE CONQUEST

OF THE KING

Introduction

of the King

Introduction

of the kingdom

Response

to the kingdom

Response

to the King

CHRIST

DECIDES

INDIVIDUALS DECIDE

NATION AND

CHURCH DECIDE

Lesson

December 31—January 6

"Unto Us a Son Os Given"

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 1 and 2.

MEMORY TEXT: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is

given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his

name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,

The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

GOD CAME TO DWELL AMONG US IN THE PERSON OF JESUS.

His purpose was to provide the healing remedy for sin. His victory over sin

and death makes our victory possible. For this reason the Lord established

the kingdom of grace on earth.

OUTLINE

The Genealogy of the King (Matt. 1:1-17).

II.

The Birth of the King (Matt. 1:18-25).

III.

The Childhood of the King (Matt. 2:1-23).

THE KING HAS COME.

During World War II, in a little village that

had suffered a severe air raid, an older woman stood next to the ruins of

her bomb-shattered home. With tears streaming down her face, she ex-

claimed, "If only the king would come, we'd feel much better."

Although she did not realize it, she was voicing the deep heart longing

of innumerable millions in this sin-shattered world. But the good news is

that the King

has

come. Those who recognize His presence do feel much

better in spite of the fact that they still live on this scarred, ruined battle-

field of the great controversy.

The King came nearly 2,000 years ago. Although the political leaders of

His day generally ignored Him and refused to accept His claims, He

changed the direction of this world's history by the establishment of a

kingdom that soon will rule this world, unchallenged by rebellion and sin.

The significance of four Gospels.

Why are there four Gospels instead

of only one? The book of Acts is our one record of the early Christian

community. Just one Bible book, Genesis, is devoted to the beginnings of

humankind. Why, then, do we need four Gospels?

There are a number of reasons why God chose to give us the Gospels of

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; but one stands out. Have you ever visited

a large art museum and found yourself studying a complex painting? From

each angle it revealed new aspects and ideas. To present Christ's life and

teachings required more than one artist and one perspective, because His

life and teachings are so significant to the plan of salvation.

Different themes and emphases.

Different authors see different

themes and emphasize different aspects of the same event. Because each

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one of us is a unique individual, we cannot expect any two individuals to

experience or view an event in exactly the same way. Jesus' life can best

be understood from varying perspectives. Although the four Gospel writers

were dedicated followers of Christ, they experienced and perceived their

Lord in differing ways.

While using the sources of the community of believers, as well as

some of their own recollections or the remembrances of eyewitnesses,

they arranged and edited their material according to their individual per-

ceptions of the events. As disciples, Matthew and John knew Jesus bet-

ter than did the other Gospel writers. It is thought that Mark reflected

Peter's perspective. Luke apparently never met Jesus, but is recognized

as a careful historian. Of course, we recognize the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit behind what the writers recorded from their differing per-

spectives.

Unity in diversity. "There is variety in a tree, there are scarcely two

leaves just alike. Yet this variety adds to the perfection of the tree as a

whole.

"In our Bible, we might ask, Why need Matthew, Mark, Luke, and

John in the Gospels, why need the Acts of the Apostles, and the variety of

writers in the Epistles, go over the same thing?

"The Lord gave His word in just the way He wanted it to come. He

gave it through different writers, each having his own individuality, though

going over the same history. Their testimonies are brought together in one

Book, and are like the testimonies in a social meeting. They do not repre-

sent things in just the same style. Each has an experience of his own, and

this diversity broadens and deepens the knowledge that is brought out to

meet the necessities of varied minds. The thoughts expressed have not a set

uniformity, as if cast in an iron mold, making the very hearing monot-

onous. In such uniformity there would be a loss of grace and distinctive

beauty. . . .

"The Creator of all ideas may impress different minds with the same

thought, but each may express it in a different way, yet without contradic-

tion."—Selected

Messages,

book 1, pp. 21, 22.

Without four Gospels we would have less understanding of Jesus' min-

istry and accomplishments. We need all four to help us gain the broadest

possible picture of the mission and work of Christ. The repetition of some

events should reinforce the supreme significance and meaning of the com-

ing of our King to die for our sins in order that He might be one with us

for all eternity.

I. THE GENEALOGY OF THE

KING

(Matt. 1:1-17).

Genealogies form some of the lesser-appreciated portions of the Bible.

Whereas genealogies may not provide the most inspirational devotional

material, they serve an important function in enabling us to tie Bible events

together and help us understand the background and relationship of these

events. To Matthew, as a devout Jewish Christian, the genealogy of Christ

was an important factor in introducing Jewish readers to Jesus as a son of

David, and thus a son of Abraham.

1. Compare the beginning and ending of Matthew's genealogy of

Jesus with the beginning and ending of Luke's genealogy. Matthew

1:1, 16; Luke 3:23, 38. Why do they differ in their approach?

Matthew begins with

Luke begins with

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and ends with

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and ends with

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Matthew wrote with descendants of Abraham in mind.

Luke wrote

to include Jew and Gentile alike in the plan of salvation. Matthew was

aware of the feeling of orthodox Jews that their salvation was assured if

they could trace their genealogy to Abraham. In fact, after the Babylonian

captivity, members of the tribe of Levi were expelled from the priesthood

if they could not trace their lineage back four generations within the priest-

hood. A Jew who had no Jewish genealogy was perceived as excluded

from salvation. Matthew takes pains to ensure that no one could ignore

Jesus' claims as the Messiah on the ground that He lacked a Jewish

genealogy.

2 . Note that not everyone in Jesus' genealogy was a descendant of

Abraham. List below the exceptions found in the Matthew 1

genealogy.

•

Verse 3 (Genesis 38)

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•

Verse 5 (Josh. 2; 6:25)

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•

Verse 5 (Ruth 4:13, 17-22)



•

Verse 6 (2 Sam. 12:24)



During His ministry Jesus poured His great love and compassion on sin-

ners. They too were "sons and daughters of the kingdom" to which

Abraham belonged.

Some of the Jews sneered at Jesus' birth as illegitimate and thus thought

He was automatically excluded from any right to kingship. Yet they fully

believed that the future messianic King would come from the line of

Judah, whose sons were born out of wedlock. Matthew's inclusion of the

four women mentioned above prepares the reader for Matthew's story of

Joseph's hesitation to wed Mary owing to her apparent unfaithfulness to

her betrothal. Christ's birth was misunderstood, and His ancestry was not

well known.

Matthew's purpose.

Matthew wanted his readers to know that Jesus is

indeed rightful Saviour and King of the world. On the shoulders of our

wonderful Counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace

was placed the government, not just of this world, but of the entire uni-

verse. Those alone who are patient like Tamar, humble like Ruth, teacha-

ble like Rahab, and gentle and unobtrusive like Bathsheba fit into the king-

dom ruled by such a gracious King.

Differences in the genealogical lists.

Luke seems interested in

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developing a more specific and complete list, whereas Matthew is involved

in a numerological scheme of 14 - 14 - 14 (14 in each of three genera-

tions). Matthew did not need to list everyone for his readers in his time.

The Jews were familiar with the list of kings, and Matthew seems to trace

Christ's

legal descent

through the ruling branch of the family to Joseph.

Matthew is concerned to emphasize Christ's right to David's throne. On

the other hand, Luke seems to trace Christ's

blood descent

through Mary.

II. THE BIRTH OF THE KING (Matt. 1:18-25).

What is revealed concerning Joseph's character in verses 19, 20?

What is significant to us today about the name

Jesus?

Matt. 1:21.

No name ever has had such an impact on the world as that of Jesus. We

pray in His name. We sing about it. We talk about its power. Too many use

it carelessly or in anger. Why is the name so important? Others bore that

name between 4 B.C. and A.D. 31. Actually, in Hebrew, Jesus was called

by the same name as the one who led the Israelites into Canaan—Joshua.

This is appropriate. In the same way that Joshua led out in the final act

of Israel's deliverance from slavery and the wilderness wanderings, Jesus

was to deliver His people from sin. The name

Joshua is

a compound word

meaning, "Jehovah saves."

What other name is Jesus given in Matthew 1:23? What is the sig-

nificance of that name? See Isa. 7:14; 8:8-10.

Directly after recording the angel's words, "He shall save his people

from their sins," Matthew endeavors to show how the incarnation of Jesus

fulfilled the Old Testament prophecy of a virgin giving birth to a Son

whose name would be "God with us."

When the words of Isaiah are recognized as a Messianic prophecy, they

focus on the fact that the coming Anointed One was God Himself. The

birth of Jesus was supernatural because He was God. No inferior person

came from heaven to win us back to love and trust in the Father. Only God

could reveal Himself fully, and only God could save us.

How does Jesus save us from sin? Compare Matt. 1:21 with 3:11;

20:28.

Several Old and New Testament words for salvation include the con-

cept of healing. Because Jesus is our Creator, as well as our Saviour, He

can heal us from the damages of sin. In fact, Jesus spent more time

healing than teaching, in order to illustrate fully the nature of the plan

of salvation.

To be healed from sin involves more than a legal process. Jesus did

not come merely to pass out legal documents stamped "Pardoned." He

came to heal us from sin's damages and to restore the image of God in

us.

Christ came to reveal God and to consume sin.

"Satan sought to in-

tercept every ray of light from the throne of God. He sought to cast his

shadow across the earth, that men might lose the true views of God's

character, and that the knowledge of God might become extinct in the

earth. . . . God was represented as severe, exacting, revengeful, and arbi-

trary. . . . Jesus came to teach men of the Father, to correctly represent

Him before the fallen children of earth. Angels could not fully portray the

character of God, but Christ, who was a living impersonation of God,

could not fail to accomplish the work. The only way in which He could set

and keep men right was to make Himself visible and familiar to their

eyes. . . .

"Those who would behold this glory would be drawn to love Jesus and

to love the Father whom He represented."—Ellen G. White,

Signs of the

Times,

Jan. 20, 1890.

"To sin, wherever found, 'our God is a consuming fire.' Heb. 12:29. In

all who submit to His power the Spirit of God will consume sin. But if men

cling to sin, they become identified with it. Then the glory of God, which

destroys sin, must destroy them. . . . In the time of John the Baptist, Christ

was about to appear as the revealer of the character of God. His very pres-

ence would make manifest to men their sin. Only as they were willing to

be purged from sin could they enter into fellowship with Him. Only the

pure in heart could abide in His presence."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 107,

108.

7. Compare Matthew's account of the events surrounding the birth

of Jesus with Luke's account. What details are unique to each ac-

count? In the light of what you already have learned about the.dif-

ference in approach between these two Gospel writers, what do

you think accounts for the differences you have noted? Compare

Matt. 1:18-25; 2:1-3 with Luke 2:1-18.

Matthew's account unique.

"Matthew sets the birth story in the

context of a clash in royal claims, made evident by the opening words

of chapter 2: 'Jesus . . . in the days of Herod the king . . . has been

born king of the Jews.' Only Matthew records the slaughter of the in-

fants, sacrificed to the cruel jealousy of Herod the Great. Only Matthew

likewise includes the visit of the Wise Men from the East. Instead of the

adoration of Luke's humble shepherds, Matthew's Jesus receives gifts fit

for a king. So His royal dignity is corroborated by genealogy and birth-

place, by the fulfillment of Scripture, by Magi, and by a star."—Wil-

liam G. Johnsson,

Religion in Overalls

(Nashville, Tenn.: Southern Pub-

lishing Association, 1977), p. 27.

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III. THE CHILDHOOD OF THE KING

(Matt. 2:1-23).

From the time Satan began telling lies about God's character, the en-

tire universe has been involved in the great controversy. Because Satan

knew that Jesus would prove his every lie false in His revelation of the.

Father and that Jesus had come to gain the victory over him, he tried to

destroy the infant Jesus through Herod the Great. Regrettably, he found

support in God's chosen people who, through their study of the Old

Testament prophecies, should have known that the Messiah had been

born.

"Now pride and envy closed the door against the light. If the reports

brought by the shepherds and the wise men were credited, they would

.place the priests and rabbis in a most unenviable position, disproving their

claim to be the exponents of the truth of-God.. . . They would not even go

to Bethlehem to see whether these things were so.- And they led the people

to regard the interest in Jesus as a fanatical excitement. Here began the re-

jection of Christ by the priests and

rabbis. From this point their pride and

stubbornness grew into a settled hatred of the Saviour."—The

Desire • of

Ages,

pp. 62, 63.

Ask yourself:

Is it enough to be a member of the church and do all

the things that are considered to be right? Is there danger in refusal to

investigate claims and teachings? Is it possible that any

of us could be a

tool in Satan's hand, furthering his cause by misrepresenting Christ's

truth?

The Jews knew their Scriptures well.

They were God-fearing and out-

wardly commandment-keeping. But they were untrue to God initially by

careless indifference to truth and a refusal to investigate with unprejudiced

minds the evidence that Jesus was the Messiah. Finally, in open opposition

to Jesus' gracious ways, they rejected God in the person of His Son.

Every time we ignore the truth, in whatever way it comes to us, we lose

some of our capacity to know God as He really is.

Where did the wise men find Jesus? How is He described at this

time? What does this tell us about the time of the Magi's visit as

compared to the time and place when the shepherds came to see

Him? Matt. 2:9-11.

Satan's plans failed.

In spite of all that Satan did to oppose God's plan

for bringing the Saviour into the world, Matthew assures us that God was

and always has been in control. In fact, he goes out of his way to demon-

strate how God used those interferences and conflicts to fulfill Old Testa-

ment prophecies that, in turn, gave evidence for all to believe that Jesus

was the Messiah.

Why is it difficult for some to recognize the prophecies that Mat-

thew quotes from the Old Testament as applying to the birth and

childhood of Jesus?

Compare:



Matt. 1:23 with Isa. 7:10-14.

Matt. 2:15 with Hosea 11:1, 2.

Matt. 2:17, 18 with Jer. 31:15.

Matt. 2:23 with Isa. 11:1.

In the days of Jesus, this kind of interpretation of the Old Testament

was favored by many studious Jews. Some prophecies were straightfor-

ward predictions that were understood without question, such as that about

the birthplace of the Messiah (Micah 5:2). But some of the well-accepted

prophecies had to be understood by analogy. The prophecies listed above

need to be understood in the way that a typical Jew of Matthew's time

would view them.

Prophecy often was given through symbols or metaphors. Paul notes

that prophecy is incomplete because now we see through a glass darkly

(1 Cor. 13:9-12). The Holy Spirit was speaking in such a way that the

people of Christ's day understood and accepted the intent of these prophe-

cies.

"He shall be called a Nazarene" (Matt. 2:23) may be taken from Isaiah

11:1 if it is understood, in a typological sense, that the word

branch

and

the name

Nazareth

come from the same Hebrew root.

HOW DOES THIS LESSON APPLY TO ME?

•

What does Matthew 1 and 2 teach me about the kind of person God

is?

•

If I knew that a person like Jesus were moving in next door as my

new neighbor, how would I respond? How would I treat Him? How

would He wish me to treat Him?

•

Am I willing for Jesus to be king of my life?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "The Fullness of

Time" and "We Have Seen His Star" in

The Desire of Ages

(chapters 3

and 6) pp. 31-38, 59-67.

SUMMARY:

As the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ is truly God-with-

us, the King of the universe. Because Satan brought sin into our world by

his lies about God, Jesus came to heal us from sin. This He accomplished

by demonstrating what God is like, suffering the penalty for our sin, and

bestowing the Holy Spirit upon us. Matthew helps us to understand how

God meets us in the person of His Son. How we receive Him depends on

the choices we make about Him each day.

Lesson

January 7-13

The RidessWI Comes

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 3 and 4.

MEMORY TEXT: "I indeed baptize you with water unto

repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,

whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with

the Holy Ghost, and with fire" (Matthew 3:11).

CHRIST'S MISSION IS OURS.

Jesus began to spread the truth about

His kingdom on earth after being anointed and tested. Immediately He

began preaching and preparing others for service. We should follow His

pattern as we seek to do our part in ushering in His kingdom of glory.

OUTLINE

The Preparation for the King (Matt. 3:1-12).

II.

The Anointing of the King (Matt. 3:13-17).

III.

The Testing of the King's Character (Matt 4:1-11).

IV.

The Beginning of the King's Work (Matt. 4:12-25).

AT THE FULNESS OF TIME JESUS' MINISTRY BEGAN.

After

John had prepared the way, Jesus humbly walked into the midst of the

crowds that flocked the section of the Jordan where John was baptizing.

The King submitted graciously to the baptism that marked His anointing.

Then, after the Dove, came the devil. After His baptism, Jesus retired into

the wilderness for more than a month to pray and commune with His

Father about His ministry. Tested and tried there by the devil, He returned

to the lifestream of His day to begin His ministry. Only then did He begin

to preach the kingdom.

The assurance Christ was given is for us.

"The word that was spoken

to Jesus at the Jordan, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well

pleased,' embraces humanity. God spoke to Jesus as our representative.

With all our sins and weaknesses, we are not cast aside as worthless. . . .

The glory that rested upon Christ is a pledge of the love of God for us. It

tells us of the power of prayer—how the human voice may reach the ear of

God, and our petitions find acceptance in the courts of heaven."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 113.

I. THE PREPARATION FOR THE KING (Matt. 3:1-12).

John's work was to prepare the people to receive Jesus and His king-

dom. His message was brief and bold: "Repent ye: for the kingdom of

heaven is at hand."

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What does it mean to "repent?" Matt. 3:2.

In the Old Testament, the word for repentance means literally "to turn

away from" something or even "to defect from" an earlier position. The

New Testament word means "to change the mind." For John to tell the

pious, devout Jews of his day to repent was as radical as to tell a patriot

that he was showing disloyalty to his country. His listeners probably

wondered why any religious Jew who refused to do any work whatsoever

on the Sabbath, attended the synagogue regularly, never looked at a

woman in the street (let alone spoke to her), and tithed his mint, dill, and

cumin needed to repent.

Yet, that is what John told them they needed to do. John did not give

this challenge in gentle whispers of peace, either. His words shook the

foundations of Judaism.

How specific did John get in denouncing the attitudes of the

Pharisees and Sadducees? Compare Christ's approach. Matt. 3:7-

10; 23:29-33.

To call people "a brood of vipers" in John's day was a very serious

charge. A snake in ancient times symbolized evil. When John called the

Pharisees and Sadducees "a brood of vipers" he essentially was calling

them "sons of devils."

When you stop to think about it, the people John called "sons of dev-

ils" were the most pious, law-abiding people among God's remnant. They

were doing everything they could in their own power to be good people.

They were recognized as pious religious leaders. What was their problem,

and what is the problem of so many good people today? They were not

good enough, and could not be in their own strength. It is impossible for

the best people to measure up by their own power to the standards set by

the character and law of God.

How did John illustrate the drastic work that needed to be done in

the hearts of his hearers? Matt. 3:10.

Standing determined by character and life.

"Not by its name, but by

its fruit, is the value of a tree determined. If the fruit is worthless, the name

cannot save the tree from destruction. John declared to the Jews that their

standing before God was to be .decided by their character and life. Profes-

sion was worthless. If their life and character were not in harmony with

God's law, they were not His people."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 107.

John pointed to the nearby trees. When a tree bears bad fruit, we cut it

down and use it for firewood. It is useless to berate the tree for bearing bad

fruit. It bears bad fruit because it is a bad tree. So with all of us—we sin

because we are sinners. Sin is not merely something we do. In order to

4laicom 'EP@

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bear the good fruits of righteousness we must become righteous.

At the heart of repentance—and the crux of John's message—lies the

truth that repentance and genuine faith alone will produce good fruit.

How did John illustrate that Jesus was "mightier" than he? Matt.

3:11, 12.

In the following references, consider the fulfillment of John's

predictions regarding Jesus' work:

Luke 24:49



Acts 1:8



Acts 2:4, 38



Rev. 14:14-20



The baptism of fire comes in two forms. We may receive the free gift of

the Holy Spirit now, or be relegated to the catergory of "chaff," which

will burn "with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 4:11, 12). Christ does all that a

loving, infinite God can do to deliver us from the dominion of Satan. He

forgives, purifies, infills by His Spirit, and provides the means of spiritual

growth. Only when these means of grace are rejected does He withdraw

from the impenitent heart.

II. THE ANOINTING OF THE KING (Matt. 3:13-17).

As John was preaching and baptizing at the Jordan, Jesus came, re-

questing baptism.

Explain Daniel's prediction regarding the time when the Messiah

would be anointed. Dan. 9:25; compare Luke 3:1, 21, 22; Acts

10:38.

The Hebrew word translated

Messiah

means "the anointed one." The

Greek equivalent, translated "Christ," also means "the anointed one."

When did Jesus become the anointed One?

When He received the

Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38) at His baptism (Matt. 3:13-16).

When was Jesus baptized?

John was preaching and baptizing in the

fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar (Luke 3:1, 2), and Jesus was baptized in

the same year (verses 21, 22). Following the antedating or non-accession-

year method of numbering regnal years, we would identify Tiberius' first

year as August-October, A.D. 14. Augustus died at Nola, in Campania,

Italy, on August 19, A.D. 14. The next Jewish New Year's Day was

October 14. Luke would follow the tishri (Sept.-Oct.) to tishri civil year of

the Jews. Therefore Tiberius' fifteenth year was autumn to autumn, A.D.

27-28. According to Luke's historical evidence, this was the year during

which Jesus was baptized.

Daniel predicted that the Messiah would appear in A.D. 27.

"The

commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem" went forth in the autumn

of 457 B.C. This point was well-established by S. H. Horn and L.

Wood

in their book

The Chronology of Ezra

7 (Washington, D.C.: Review and

Herald, 1953). According to Daniel, at the end of sixty-nine weeks of years

(483 years) following the autumn of 457 B.C. the Messiah would appear.

And 483 years after the autumn of 457 B.C. bring us to the autumn of A.D.

27. Thus Luke's history validated the accuracy of Daniel's prophecy.

Why was Jesus baptized? Matt. 3:15.

Why should we be baptized? Rom. 6:3-5; John 3:5.

Jesus our Example.

"Jesus did not receive baptism as a confession of

guilt on His own account. He identified. Himself with sinners, taking the

steps that we are to take, and doing the work that we must

do."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 111.

Baptism begins a life of witnessing.

Often when celebrating a baptism

we dwell on its symbolic meaning of confessing faith, burying past sins,

and rising to new life in Christ. But often we neglect another significant

point. Baptism is not merely the beginning of a new life within the for-

given community; it is the beginning of a new life that will witness to the

kind of kingdom Christ came to establish.

Mr. Peng attended evangelistic meetings held by Pastor Milton Lee in

Taiwan in the 1950s. He was convinced that the Seventh-day Adventist

Church was the true church, but did not join it.

"A few months ago Mr. Peng learned he had cancer. It was felt he

would only live about three months. He came to Taiwan Adventist Hospi-

tal for medical care. While there he met Mrs. Syau, a Bible worker. With

tears streaming down his face, Mr. Peng declared his love for the Lord. 'I

should have been baptized years ago. I want God to forgive me. I want to

be baptized now,' he said.

"Remembering that Elder Lee was visiting in Taiwan for a few weeks,

Mrs. Syau invited him to visit Mr. Peng. Struggling for each breath, Mr.

Peng told Elder Lee of his decision to be baptized.

"Elder Lee shared the story of the thief on the cross and how God knew

his heart even if he was not baptized. But in spite of his pain Mr. Peng per-

sisted. 'I want to be baptized.'

"Arrangements were made for the baptism. It was a touching service. A

special peace now encircled Mr. Peng. His breathing became easier and his

pain seemed to subside. His family noticed the difference. He seemed to rest

in the assurance of God's love. The next day he closed his eyes in death.

"At the funeral, Mrs. Peng, a devout Buddhist, said, 'I also want to be

baptized before Elder Lee leaves this island.' The son-in-law added, 'Our

whole family wants to be baptized.'

"Mr. Peng's example led his family to accept God's love and forgive-

ness for their sins. Now the entire Peng family is awaiting the return of the

Life Giver."—Carolyn Byers,

Want to Be Baptized," Far Eastern Di-

vision

Outlook,

Oct. 1987, p. 14.

III. THE TESTING OF THE KING'S CHARACTER (Matt. 4:1-11).

9. The chart that follows draws parallels between the first temptation

in the Garden of Eden, Christ's temptation, and our present

temptations. It also demonstrates how temptations fit into three

areas of appeal—physical, mental, and spiritual. The last column

in the chart suggests ways that we can cooperate with the Lord in

overcoming these specific categories of temptation. Study the chart

carefully, consulting all references listed in

The Desire of Ages.

Appeal of

Tempter

ADAM AND EVE

Gen. 3:1-6

CHRIST

Matt. 4

1 John 2:1-6

How to

Overcome

Physical

Appetites,

passions

(BODY)

DA 122

Tree was good

for food—

Indulgence

of appetite

DA 117

Appetite—

"Command

that these

stones be

made bread"

DA 116

Lust of

flesh—

Involves

distrust

of God's

provisions

DA 118

Deny

self by

relying

upon

Christ

DA 117

Mental

—

Will must

consent,

faith must

•

let go

(MIND)

DA 125

"Pleasant

eves"—

distrust,

presumption

DA 126

Love of

display

which

leads to

presumption

DA 116

Lust of

eyes—

visual i-

zation

of sin

DA 125

By sur-

render

to God's

will;

guard

avenues

of soul

DA 125

Spiritual—

Yielding

of soul

for worldly

profit.

(SOUL)

DA 130

"To be desired

to make one

wise''—

betrayal of

sovereignty

DA 129

Love of

the world—

"Worship

me. All

shall be

thine"

DA 129

Pride of

life—

Material

satisfaction

DA 130

Seek first

the

king-

dom of

God

DA 130

"When Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, He was led

by the Spirit of God. He did not invite temptation. He went to the

wilderness to be alone, to contemplate His mission and work. By fasting

and prayer He was to brace Himself for the bloodstained path He must

travel. But Satan knew that the Saviour had gone into the wilderness,

and he thought this the best time to approach

Him."—The Desire of

Ages,

p. 114.

Jesus revealed that faith is based upon our confidence in God's Word. It

does not take presumptuous leaps from temple tops. To doubt God's good-

ness and distrust His provisions is the essence of the first temptation. To

presume that God will protect us, no matter how foolish our conduct, is the

essence of the second temptation. To think that what we want for ourselves

is better than what God has in mind for us is the essence of the third temp-

tation. All are equally dangerous.

10. What do the three temptations reveal about the nature of the

great controversy?

_Contemplate these ideas:

Temptation 1

•

Satan accuses God of being selfish and withholding good things

from His children.

•

God wins the great controversy by making it obvious that He holds

nothing back from us that is for our good, including the life of His own

Son.

Temptation 2

•

Satan tries to get us to presume on God's promises.

•

Satan quoted the promise, "He shall give his angels charge over

thee," but he neglected to add, "to keep thee in all thy ways." The angels

are commissioned to assist us in keeping to the path of obedience.

•

Satan's counterfeit for faith is presumption. Faith asks, believes, and

claims God's promises. Presumption acknowledges God's promises but

uses them as an excuse for transgression.

Temptation 3

•

Satan manifested himself to Jesus "in his true character. But he

does not appear as a hideous monster, with cloven feet and bat's wings.

He is a mighty angel, though fallen. He avows himself the leader of re-

bellion and the god of this world. . . . Christ might deliver Himself from

the dreadful future by acknowledging the supremacy of Satan. But to do

this was to yield victory in the great controversy."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 129.

•

Satan often tries to get us to take the easy way out—to compromise.

We cannot overcome the tempter in our own strength. We can choose what

is right, but cannot put our choice into action without the power of Christ.

(See Rom.

7:18.)

"Satan trembles and flees before the weakest soul who

finds refuge in that mighty name."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 131.

Messiah

Comes

&mon

IV. THE BEGINNING OF THE KING'S WORK (Matt. 4:12-25).

The way prepared and the attention of the people obtained, anointed for

His task, fully tested and victorious, Jesus emerged from the wilderness to

engage in the work He had come to do.

11. Matthew 4:12-25 describes some of the steps that Jesus took in

order to spread the gospel of the kingdom. Study the verses given

below and complete the outline.

•

Verses 12-14—He protected His work from the attacks of His

enemies by moving the center of His ministry from Judea to



after



was imprisoned.

•



Verse 17—He began to



•



Verses 18-22—He called



to assist him.

•

Verse 23—He



the sick, taught,

and



throughout Galilee.

•

Verse 24, 25—His reputation spread to



and



•

Verse 25—The crowds from all over



followed Him.

Jesus' first step in organizing His church was to call and train twelve

men to help Him. The "great light" of the world came in full splendor in

the truths that Jesus taught.

AM I PREPARED FOR CHRIST'S SECOND COMING?

In the same way that there had to be a work of preparation before

Christ's first advent, there must be a work of preparation that will take

place before His return?

•

What is the best preparation for me to make to be ready for Christ to

come?

•

When I became a--church member, was it to witness to the truth about

God in every way no matter how small?

•

When Satan comes, masquerading as Christ, will I know God so

well—as Jesus did—that I will be able to determine on which side the truth

lies?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "The Temptation"

and "The Victory" in

The Desire of Ages,

pp. 114-131.

SUMMARY:

Before Christ could begin His mission, God had to arouse

His people's attention through the ministry of John the Baptist. Once this

was accomplished, the Messiah laid aside His carpenter's tools and ap-

peared at the Jordan for His anointing. In His victory over Satan and the

beginning of His work, Jesus demonstrated that the gentle persuasion of

truth is the most powerful weapon in the universe. Even at the beginning of

Christ's ministry we see evidence of the ultimate victory of God's kingdom.

Lesson

January 14-20

Critizens og the Kingdom

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 5.

MEMORY TEXT: "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father

which is in heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48).

SAI3

HAPPY ARE THOSE WHO TRULY KNOW GOD.

In the Sermon on

the Mount, Jesus gives us a description of the principles of God's king-

dom. These principles not only describe the kind of person the King of the

universe is but also describe the kind of people who will belong to His

kingdom.

OUTLINE

Introduction to the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5:1, 2).

II.

Seven Steps to Becoming Children of God (Matt. 5:3-9).

III.

Sharing Christ's Righteousness (Matt. 5:10-16).

IV.

Two Righteousnesses Contrasted (Matt. 5:17-20).

True Righteousness Illustrated (Matt. 5:21-48).

PITY THE POOR PHARISEES.

We can pity the Pharisees for the little-

recognized fact that they were very good people compared with some of

the people who surrounded them; but not good enough.

This fact was brought to their attention one day by a Galilean peasant

garbed in the simplest of robes. His words brought the monumental build-

ing blocks of the pharisaical philosophical castle tumbling about the ears

of those pridefully pious people.

They were such simple words: "I say unto you, That except your right-

eousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye

shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). But from

the time those words were spoken, few have taken the Pharisees as seri-

ously as people once did. There they stood, exposed clearly in their pious

pretensions as not being good enough.

How cruel and unjust the charge must have seemed to the Pharisees.

Had they not added innumerable statutes of their own to the Ten Com-

mandments in order to shore them'up? But now in the court of public opin-

ion, Jesus made it obvious that their attempts to keep the law by their own

efforts were in vain. They must have felt shattered. Their entire compli-

cated framework of life, the learned hagglings of the great rabbis, were ex-

posed forever as

not good enough.

The thrust of Jesus' teaching that day on the Mount of Blessing was

not to reveal the absurdity of the Pharisees' religion, but to show how,

by His grace, all can live according to God's will. Jesus pointed to the

Pharisees only to illustrate that what even the best of human beings can

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Kingdom



ciERIETV

do on their own is not good enough. God has something far better for

His children.

I. INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (Matt.

5:1, 2)

1. What is the background to the Sermon on the Mount? Matt. 5:1, 2.

The multitude was expectant. "Alone upon a mountain near the Sea

of Galilee, Jesus had spent all night in prayer for these chosen ones [His

disciples]. At the dawn He had called them to Him, and, with words of

prayer and instruction, had laid His hands upon their heads in benediction,

setting them apart to the gospel work. Then He repaired with them to the

seaside, where early in the morning a great multitude had already begun to

assemble. . . .

"With a feeling that something more than usual might be expected, the

disciples had pressed about their Master. From the events of the morning

they gathered assurance that some announcement was about to be made in

regard to the kingdom which, as they fondly hoped, He was soon to estab-

lish. A feeling of expectancy pervaded the multitude also, and eager faces

gave evidence of the deep

interest."—Thoughts From the Mount of Bless-

ing,

pp. 4, 5.

What did Isaiah predict regarding the Messiah's attitude to the

law of God? Isa. 42:21.

II. SEVEN STEPS TO BECOMING CHILDREN OF GOD (Matt.

5:3-9).

How do the Beatitudes fit into the development of Christ's Sermon

on the Mount?

"Throughout the Beatitudes there is an advancing line of Christian ex-

perience."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

p. 13. How appro-

priate that Jesus should first present the basic principles of the heavenly

kingdom, before correcting some of the specific distortions of truth that

have been current in every age! The Beatitudes indicate the kind of

character that results when there is total surrender to Christ.

The first several verses of Matthew 5 contain Christ's answer to such

pressing problems of life as pride and insecurity, sin and guilt, despair and

disillusionment. The Beatitudes offer a line of progression that leads us

step by step to the kind of peace and happiness that come only from our re-

alization that we have become sons and daughters of God.

The chart that follows demonstrates the progression in our Chris-

tian experience mentioned above and shows how Christ is the answer

to human needs.

CHRIST'S ANSWER TO MAN'S NEED

(Based on the Beatitudes in Matthew 5)

Our Problem

Christ's Answer

Results

(Blessed are . . .)

•

The Poor in Spirit

Those who recog-

nize their need and

begin to do some

thing about it

•

They that mourn

Repentance for

and turning from

sin

•

The meek

Submissiveness

and dedication to

the will of God for

•

They which do

hunger and

thirst after

righteousness

Filled with the

water of life—justi-

fication

•

The merciful

Forgiving attitude,

willingness to

share, spiritual

growth

•

The pure in heart

Cleanliness, purity,

integrity in life

•

The peacemakers

Share peace, happi-

ness, contentment

with others

•

Acceptance of self

•

Conquest of false

pride

•

Meaningful

communion with

God and man

•

Clear conscience

•

Evidence of

acceptance by God

and man

•

Acceptance of

authority

•

Development of

trust and

confidence in God

and man

•

Healthy emotions

•

Wholistic

development

•

Right with God

and man

•

Improvement of

relationships

•

Identification,

sharing

•

Love to God and

man

•

Moral freedom

•

Law of God in

heart

•

Rightdoing toward

God and man

•

Peace that passes

understanding

•

Portrayal of God

to man

Pride, insecurity,

poor self-image

Sin and guilt

Rebelliousness,

anger, lack of

confidence

Unhappiness,

fear, frustration,

worry

Bitterness and

selfishness

Impurity and

immorality

Despair and

apathy

After studying Matthew 5:3-9 and the details outlined in the chart

above, define the following. (See also

Thoughts From the Mount of

Blessing,

pp. 6-28.)

"Poor in spirit"



"They that mourn"



"The meek"



"They which do hunger and thirst after righteousness"



"The merciful"



"The pure in heart"



"The peacemakers"



Happiness restored to human hearts. The Greek word translated

"blessed" in the King James Version means "fortunate,"

"happy."

"In the opening words of the Sermon on the Mount, Christ addresses

Himself to the supreme desire of every heart—happiness. This desire was

implanted in man by the Creator Himself."--SDA

Bible Commentary, vol.

p. 324.

III. SHARING CHRIST'S RIGHTEOUSNESS (Matt. 5:10-16).

Although traditionally included in the Beatitudes, verses 10 through 12

do not deal as directly as the preceding counsel with the steps to becoming

children of God. They attest to the results that are bound to follow when

we begin to live Christlike lives.

In what way does the world show its enmity toward those who

choose to become children of God? Matt. 5:10-12.

Read John 15:21 and 16:2 to find the reason Jesus gave as to why

His followers would face enmity and persecution. Summarize that

reason below.

Why does Jesus use the two metaphors—salt and light—in His

teaching to illustrate our witness for His truth? Matt. 5:13, 14.

Salt is useful for a number of things; chiefly, for preserving and flavor-

ing foods. To be good salt in the Christian sense means to reveal fully the

love, power, and righteousness of Christ in our lives. When these are not

seen in Christian witness, then the gospel not only loses its savor and ap-

peal but appears to be "good for nothing."

In the Bible, light represents the Divine presence; darkness represents

its absence. Christ is the light of the world, but we are to reflect that light

in our lives in such a way that its reflection will attract those about us.

(Compare John 8:12; Matt. 5:14.)

8. What is the reflected light of Christ in our lives intended to ac-

complish in the way of witness? Matt. 5:16.

IV. TWO RIGHTEOUSNESSES CONTRASTED (Matt. 5:17-20).

What did Jesus mean when He stated in Matthew 5:17 that He

had not come to destroy the law but to fulfill it?

In the context of Matthew

5, fulfill

means to live according to the pre-

cepts of the law and to put them in their proper perspective. The interpreta-

tion that, by fulfilling the law, Jesus abolished it, contradicts the context

(verses 18, 19). Such a view also contradicts the overall teaching of the

New Testament that the law continues to function for the Christian as the

standard of behavior. (See Rom. 3:31; 7:7, 12, 14; 8:3, 4; James 2:10-12;

John 2:4; Rev. 12:17; 14:12.)

10.

Why was Jesus so concerned about what might happen to the

jots and tittles in the law? Matt. 5:18.

" 'Till heaven and earth pass,' said Jesus, 'one jot or one tittle shall in

nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.' By His own obedience to the

law, Christ testified to its immutable character and proved that through His

grace it could be perfectly obeyed by every son and daughter of Adam. . . .

He does not teach that the law is ever to be abrogated, but He fixes the eye

upon the utmost verge of man's horizon and assures us that until this point

is reached the law will retain its authority so that none may suppose it was

His mission to abolish the precepts of the

law."—Thoughts From the

Mount of Blessing,

pp. 49, 50.

Great Protestant theologians and creeds have testified that the Ten

Commandments are an unchangeable standard of righteousness.

For

example:

"We must not imagine that the coming of Christ has freed us from the

authority of the law: for it is the eternal rule of a devout and holy life, and

must, therefore, be as unchangeable as the justice of God, which it em-

braced, is constant and uniform."—John Calvin,

Commentary on a Har-

Mitimasolait9

Angdom

mony of the Evangelists,

trans. by William Pringle (Grand Rapids, Mich.:

Eerdmans, 1949), vol. 1, p. 277.

"It is most surprising to me that anyone can claim that I reject the law

or the Ten Commandments, since there is available, in more than one edi-

tion, my exposition of the Ten Commandments. . . .

know of no manner

in which we do not use them, unless it be that we unfortunately do not

practice and paint them with our deeds and our life as we should. . . . For

who could know what and why Christ suffered for us without knowing

what sin or law is? Therefore the law must be preached wherever Christ is

to be preached."—Martin Luther,

Luther's Works

(Philadelphia: Fortress

Press, 1971), vol. 47, pp. 109, 113.

"No Christian man whatsoever is free from the obedience of the Com-

mandments which are called Moral."—"The Thirty-Nine Articles of the

Church of England" (English Edition, 1571; American Revision, 1801),

Article VII, in Philip Schaff,

Creeds of Christendom

(Grand Rapids,

Mich.: Baker, 1877, 1966), vol. 3, p. 492.

11. How did Jesus put the commandments in their proper perspec-

tive? Matt. 5:19.

In this verse and in verse 20, Jesus contrasts true righteousness with

false righteousness. His great burden is to get His hearers to concentrate on

what is involved in true righteousness.

V. TRUE RIGHTEOUSNESS ILLUSTRATED (Matt. 5:21-48).

Jesus used six selections from the Books of the Law, as the chart which

follows outlines.

Verses

What the Pharisees Taught

What Jesus Taught

21-26

"Thou shalt not kill."

Do not even get angry.

27-30

"Thou shalt not commit

adultery."

Do not even lust in

the heart.

31,

Give wife a certificate

of divorce

No divorce, except for

immorality.

33-37

Do not swear falsely.

Do not swear at all.

38-42

"An eye for an eye, and

a tooth for a tooth."

Do not resist evil.

Turn the other cheek.

43-47

Love your neighbor and

hate your enemy.

"Love your enemies."

As you study these comparisons, ask yourself, Who was the more strict,

Christ or the Pharisees? Which way is more difficult to follow? What kind

of loyalty and obedience to the law does Christ expect of us?

12. What high ideal does God make possible for us to achieve in our

sphere? Matt. 5:48.

Total dependence upon Christ.

"Perfection of character is based upon

that which Christ is to us. If we have constant dependence on the merits of

our Saviour, and walk in His footsteps, we shall be like Him, pure and un-

defiled.

"Our Saviour does not require impossibilities of any soul. He expects

nothing of His disciples that He is not willing to.give them grace and

strength to perform. He would not call upon them to be perfect if He had

not at His command every perfection of grace to bestow on the ones upon

whom He would confer so high and holy a privilege. . . .

"Our work is to strive to attain in our sphere of action the perfection

that Christ in His life on the earth attained in every phase of character. . . .

In all things we are to strive to honor God in character. . . . We are to be

wholly dependent on the power that He has promised to give us."—Ellen

G. White,

That I May Know Him,

p. 130. (See also

Thoughts From the

Mount of Blessing,

pp. 76-78.)

"The fullness of Christ."

Perfection in the Bible is defined as "the

measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph. 4:13). As He over-

came by virtue of His relationship with His Father, so we may overcome

by virtue of our relationship with Him. (See Rev. 3:21.) An imperfect

human being performs only imperfect works, but these imperfect works are

free from sin when Christ dwells within and lives out His life through the

individual. (See Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:18.)

AM I A TRUE LAW-KEEPER?

•

Am I merciful and humble in my treatment of others?

•

Do I want only to look and act correctly, or am I concerned that I

become good through Christ's grace?

•

Am I a light that reflects the True Light?

•

How can I show my love for those who mistreat me? Do I pray that

I may love them as God does?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read

Thoughts From the

Mount of Blessing,

"The Beatitudes" and "The Spirituality of the Law,"

pp. 16-78.

SUMMARY:

God's laws are not an arbitrary list of legal codes designed

to force our behavior into a narrow mold, but rather statements of the kind

of person He is and the kind of people He gives us power to become.

Lesson

January 21-27

Our Father in Heaven

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 6 and 7.

SAB

MEMORY TEXT: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and

his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you"

(Matthew 6:33).

KINGDOM OF GOD INTRODUCED.

The Sermon on the Mount was

Christ's formal introduction of the kingdom of God. In chapter 5, we find

the ideals that would characterize the citizens of God's kingdom. In chap-

ters 6 and 7, we see how He applies these ideals in a practical way, inviting

His listeners to build their lives on the principles He has outlined.

OUTLINE

Piety Prompted by Pure Motives (Matt. 6:1-8).

II.

Prayer and Fasting (Matt. 6:9-18).

III.

Practical Concerns (Matt. 6:19-7:12).

IV.

Invitation (Matt. 7:13-27).

Response to Christ's Invitation. (Matt. 7:28, 29).

TRUE WORSHIP CENTERS IN TRUST IN GOD AS FATHER.

What God wants most from His creatures is not outward mechanical com-

pliance to His expressed will, but genuine love and trust that recognizes

our heavenly Father's way for us as the happiest and best.

In calling God "our Father in heaven," Jesus sets the framework for

His later teachings. While this concept of God was not unknown among

the Jewish theologians of His day, the way Jesus talked about "our

Father" was different. It revealed a close personal relationship, as well as

God's intense interest in and concern for His children on earth. The discus-

sion in Matthew 6 and 7 centers in our understanding of what it means to

have this Father in heaven.

I. PIETY PROMPTED BY PURE MOTIVES (Matt. 6:1-8).

In Jesus' time, many of the Pharisees loved to stand where they could

be seen most readily as they prayed. When a wealthy person gave a large

donation to the poor, he might hire a trumpeter to announce his tre-

mendous sacrifice.

"They have their reward" (verse 2).

"The Greek brings out the idea

that they have received payment of their wages in full. . . . They practiced

charity strictly as a business transaction by means of which they hoped to

purchase public admiration; the relief of distress was no concern of theirs.

The reward they desired is the one they will receive, but that is

all."—SDA

Bible Commentary,

vol. 5, p. 344.

In Matthew five, Jesus tells us to let our light shine before men.

Why, then, does He tell us (in 6:3, 4) to give good gifts in secret

without being conscious of our actions?

"Jesus did not teach that acts of kindness should always be kept secret.

Paul the apostle, writing by the Holy Spirit, did not conceal the generous

self-sacrifice of the Macedonian Christians, but told of the grace that

Christ had wrought in them, and thus others were imbued with the same

spirit. . . .

"By their good works, Christ's followers are to bring glory, not to

themselves, but to Him through whose grace and power they have

wrought. It is through the Holy Spirit that every good work is accom-

plished, and the Spirit is given to glorify, not the receiver but the

Giver."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

p. 80.

What other practice did the Pharisees use to show off their sup-

posed piety? Matt. 6:5, 6.

What did Jesus mean by "vain repetitions" in prayer? Why did

He condemn such a practice? Matt. 6:7, 8.

In many ancient and modem religions, prayers consist of repeating

memorized words. But our heavenly Father desires intelligent, meaningful

communication. He loves to hear us pray—as long as we pray from the

heart and are honest with Him and ourselves. God wants us to lay aside our

pretentious piety and come to. Him as we are. Prayers that are designed to

bring glory to oneself are not in harmony with Christ's instruction.

II. PRAYER AND FASTING (Matt. 6:9-18).

The magnificence of the Lord's Prayer can be found in its unaffected-

ness, its simplicity, its genuineness. There are no insignificant phrases.

Yet, when studied more deeply, there is a comprehensiveness and a wealth

of meaning that often is overlooked.

Study carefully the phrases from the Lord's Prayer that follow.

Before you read the comments, write down your thoughts as to

what the phrases mean.

"Hallowed be thy name"



This is not just a simple request to be careful about using God's name

carelessly. In the Bible, a person's name represents his character. Thus

when we pray, "Hallowed be thy name," we are praying that God's

character be exalted through us. Another way of saying the same thing

might be, "May Your character be revealed clearly through us."

"Thy kingdom come"



God's kingdom on earth is advanced when His character is seen in us.

But the purpose of it all is the establishment of the kingdom of glory.

"Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven"

What is God's will? If we could travel to heaven now, we would find

God's will being carried out in every respect and everything being perfect

as a result. "In heaven, service is not rendered in the spirit of legality.

When Satan rebelled against the law of Jehovah, the thought that there was

a law came to the angels almost as an awakening to something unthought

of. In their ministry the angels are not as servants, but as sons. There is

perfect unity between them and their Creator. Obedience is to them no

drudgery. Love for God makes their service a

joy."—Thoughts From the

Mount of Blessing,

p. 109.

"Give us this day our daily bread"



The first part of the prayer focuses on the Father. Now it shifts to the

needs of the petitioner. It is good to follow this pattern in our prayers.

Later in Matthew 6, Jesus stresses that we do not need to worry about our

physical needs, for our Father knows all about them anyway. Yet He does

suggest that we pray that they be supplied.

"Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors"



"He who is unforgiving, cuts off the very channel through which alone

He can receive mercy from God. . . .

"The one thing essential for us in order that we may receive and im-

part the forgiving love of God is to know and believe the love He has to

us."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

pp. 113-115.

"Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"

This is not a request for God to remove all temptation, but asks that God

will keep us from falling when tried and tested. When we pray, "Lead us

not into temptation," we are renouncing our tendency to place ourselves in

the way of temptation and we are submitting to God's will for us.

"For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever"

Our Father exalted.

"The last like the first sentence of the Lord's

Prayer, points to our Father as above all power and authority and every

name that is

named."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

p. 120.

5. What is the thrust of Jesus' concern about fasting in Matthew

6:16-18?

"The object of the fast which God calls upon us to keep is not to afflict

the body for the sin of the soul, but to aid us in perceiving the grievous

character of sin, in humbling the heart before God and receiving His par-

doning grace. . . . Let the burdens be left at the foot of the cross, and go on

your way rejoicing in His love who first loved you. Men may never know

of the work going on secretly between the soul and God, but the result of

the Spirit's work upon the heart will be manifest to

all."—Thoughts From

the Mount of Blessing, pp. 87, 88.

III. PRACTICAL CONCERNS (Matt. 6:19-7:12).

Jesus does not say that material things are of no value. Many of the

temporal blessings the Lord has given us today can be put to good use in

advancing the cause of the kingdom. Food, clothing, and housing are es-

sential. Nevertheless, because they are temporal, they are of secondary im-

portance.

In perspective, materialism is foolish.

Someday the material things

that we have clung to or longed for will disappear. The gold we value so

much today will seem less rare when we walk on golden streets. Perhaps it

is not selfishness so much as foolishness to be so concerned with that

which is of so little value when compared to the riches of eternity before

us.

6. Why did Jesus counsel us in Matthew 6:20 to lay up our treasures

in heaven?

Those who will feel richest in heaven will be those who have gained

souls for the kingdom. (See Dan. 12:3.) The mansions, clothing, silver,

and gold of eternity will be provided us without cost by God. He will

lavish His very best upon His children. All we can take with us from this

world are our characters and the friends we have made for Him.

WED

How can we be sure that our treasures are laid up in heaven?

Matt. 6:22-24.

What was Jesus' positive answer to anxiety about the material

things of life? Matt. 6:25-34.

When we make things or human beings first in our lives we become

their slaves. Many of us are addicted to the things we desire most. These

addictions lead to all kinds of needless worries and stresses. If Christ is

first in our lives we will not be fretful and anxious. Christ has no slaves,

only sons and daughters.

Why are Christians commanded not to judge others? Matt. 7:1, 2.

This may seem one of the most difficult biblical commands to obey. To

understand that we have a generous heavenly Father may not be so diffi-

cult. But human beings tend to compare themselves with others in order to

build their sense of self-worth. It is not difficult to see and condemn in

others that which we have grown to hate in ourselves.

10.

As Christians how should we relate to those in our midst who ob-

viously are letting down church standards and setting a wrong

example to others?

While we are to be concerned for our brothers and sisters when they fall

into sin, and we should not close our eyes to their spiritual needs, our con-

cern must ever be motivated by love for them. We must not condemn.

Judging in the forbidden sense, involves our usurping God's exclusive

right to decide issues on which a person's salvation is based. Jesus did not

come into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. (See John 3:17.)

Our mission is to help others as He did.

11.

What can we learn from Matthew 7:7-12 about the gifts God

gives His children? Compare Luke 11:13.

God could package all the good material things we could ever want and

send them to us. But that would not prove His love for us. It might cause

us to wonder whether He is simply trying to buy our favor. Rather, He

gives us His best, Himself. For when we have the Holy Spirit we have

God-with-us as a

Friend.

12.

How does the golden rule of Matthew 7:12

fit

into the context of

what we have just studied?

IV. INVITATION (Matt. 7:13-27).

Jesus begins the conclusion of the Sermon on the Mount with an invita-

tion to enter into His kingdom. But He does not promise that it is the easi-

est way to go. We do not get into the kingdom by following the path of

least resistance. "Yet do not therefore conclude that the upward path is the

hard and the downward road the easy way. All along the road that leads to

death there are pains and penalties. . . . The soul who follows that path de-

scends into the shadows of unending night. . . . All the way up the steep

road leading to eternal life are well-springs of joy to refresh the weary.

Those who walk in wisdom's ways are, even in tribulation, exceeding joy-

ful; for He whom their soul loveth, walks, invisible, beside them."—

Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

pp. 139, 140.

13.

Who and what will attempt to keep us from taking the narrow

path that leads to life? How will we be able to identify those who

want to distract us? Matt. 7:15-20.

14.

Why will Jesus say to some of those who call Him Lord, "Depart

from me, you evildoers"? Matt. 7:21-27.

Those who have done many works in Christ's name but who do not

know Him as He is cannot enjoy an eternal relationship with Him, regard-

less of their claims. If we build on the shifting sands of claims, appear-

ances, and deceptions we will fall when faced with Satan's manipulative

devices. But if we build on the solid rock of Christ's sayings—the Word of

God—our characters will be founded on the Rock that cannot move.

V. RESPONSE TO CHRIST'S INVITATION (Matt. 7:28, 29).

15. What was it about Jesus' sermon that so astounded His hearers?

Matt. 7:28, 29.

"The Pharisees noted the vast difference between their manner of in-

struction and that of Christ. They saw that the majesty and purity and

beauty of the truth, with its deep and gentle influence, was taking firm hold

upon many minds. The Saviour's divine love and tenderness drew the

hearts of men to Him. The rabbis saw that by His teaching the whole tenor

of the instruction they had given to the people was set at nought."—

Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

p. 47.

AM I A FRIEND OF GOD?

Do I know Him as He really is?

Can I talk to Him easily and be honest with Him because I trust

Him and know He will not condemn, but will help me?

Heaven

MOM

•

Do I enjoy talking about Him to others?

•

How do I exercise my privilege of defending Him and. His ways

whenever He is being misrepresented?

•

Do I look forward to spending eternity with Him?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "The Lord's Prayer"

and "Not Judging But Doing" in

Thoughts. From the Mount of Blessing,

pp. 102-152.

SUMMARY:

When Jesus came to earth His favorite way of referring to

God was as "our Father" in heaven. He loved to describe the Father,

whose life He so accurately revealed in His own, as a Father to whom His

followers could speak plainly and simply without fear, a Father who loves

to give more than good things—even Himself in His Spirit—to His

children.

Lesson

January 28—February 3

The Power

the

K'frtgdorn

THIS WEEK'S LESSON: Matthew 8 to 10.

SWEf

MEMORY TEXT: "But when Jesus heard that, he said unto



them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are

sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy,

and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sin-

ners to repentance" ..(Matthew 9:12, 13).

POWER BLENDED WITH MERCY.

The powerful yet compassionate

way in which Jesus ministered to the people brought trust, repentance,

and healing to sinners and led to opposition among those who felt them-

selves whole. His followers were to receive power to continue His min-

istry without fear of failure or opposition.

OUTLINE

Power Over Disease (Matt. 8:1-22).

II.

Power Over Fear (Matt. 8:23-34).

III.

Power Over Sin and Sinners (Matt. 9:1-17).

IV.

Power Over Death and Demons (Matt. 9:18-34).

Power Given to the Disciples (Matt. 9:35-10:42).

JESUS' TEACHING AND HEALING MINISTRY.

Since the time He

created the first beings in the universe, God has been a teacher. Not a lec-

turer merely, but a true teacher. Lecturers instruct their students with mere

words. Good teachers illustrate their words with actions, stories, pictures,

and charts. Effective teachers seek to help their students discover the truth

for themselves.

Many Bible students divorce Jesus' teaching ministry from His healing

ministry as if they had nothing in common. Some suggest that the healings

were merely an attention-getting device to obtain listeners. But this is far

from the truth. When Jesus came to reveal the character and government of

God, He spent more time in healing than in preaching, thus revealing in a

practical way what God is like.

Most of the book of Matthew can be divided into periods of activity

followed by periods of teaching. One way of charting this follows:

Activity

Teaching

4:18-25

Calling disciples

5:1-7:29

Sermon on the Mount

8:1-9:34

Power evidenced

9:35—

Power given to

in miracles

10:42

disciples

11:1—

Meeting

13:1-58

Teaching in

12:50

opposition

parables

14:1—

Conflict and

16:13-28

The great confession

16:12

compassion

17:1-27

Transfiguration

and tribute

18:1-35

Who is the

greatest?

19:1-22

On the way to

19:23—

Rewards of

Jerusalem

20:28

the kingdom

20:29—

Triumphal entry;

21:33—

Parables of the

21:32

controversy in

the Temple

22:14

kingdom

22:15-46

Meeting

23:1—

Woes on Pharisees;

opposition

25:46

discourse on Mount

of Olives

26:1—

Passion and

28:18-20

The great

28:17

resurrection

commission

I. POWER OVER DISEASE (Matt. 8:1-22).

1. What does Jesus' treatment of the leper teach us about how God

heals spiritually? Matt. 8:2, 3.

Some have suggested that the term

leprosy

in the Bible covers seven

different diseases recognized today. The Jews considered it a punishment

from God for sin. Like those already dead, lepers were shut out from

places where other people lived. Whatever they touched was considered

unclean. Whenever they saw a nonleprous person they were to cup their

hands over their mouths and chant, "Unclean, unclean."

The horror of the crowd.

"He is a loathsome spectacle. The disease

has made frightful inroads, and his decaying body is horrible to look upon.

At the sight of him the people fall back in terror. They crowd upon one

another in their eagerness to escape from contact with him. Some try to

prevent him from approaching Jesus, but in vain. . . . He sees only the Son

MON

of God. He hears only the voice that speaks life to the dying. Pressing to

Jesus, he casts himself at His feet with the cry, 'Lord, if thou wilt, thou

canst make

me clean.' "—The Desire of Ages,

p. 263.

2. What was so marvelous about the centurion's faith that it moved

Jesus to comment on it? Matt. 8:10-12.

At the same time that the centurion recognized Jesus as the Infinite One,

He also recognized Him as an approachable God. "His heart had been

touched by the grace of Christ. He saw his own unworthiness; yet he

feared not to ask help. He trusted not to his own goodness; his argument

was his great need. His faith took hold upon Christ in His true character.

He did not believe in Him merely as a worker of miracles, but

as the friend

and Saviour of mankind."—The Desire of Ages,

p. 317 (italics supplied).

Who was the "certain scribe" mentioned in Matthew 8:19?

"[Judas Iscariot] now came forward, soliciting a place in this inner

circle of disciples. With great earnestness and apparent sincerity he de-

clared, 'Master, I will follow Thee whitliersoever Thou goest.' Jesus

neither repulsed nor welcomed him, but uttered only the mournful

words: 'The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but

the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.' Matt. 8:19, 20. Judas

believed Jesus to be the Messiah; and by joining the apostles, he hoped

to secure a high position in the new kingdom. This hope Jesus designed

to cut off by the statement of His poverty."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp.

293, 294.

II. POWER OVER FEAR (Matt. 8:23-34).

Matthew and Luke group the two stories of fear together. In the first

story, the disciples encounter the terrors of the sea; in the second, they

meet the terrifying madmen. But Luke adds a dimension that Matthew

does not. In each situation,

after

the cause of fear has been removed, Luke

speaks of the onlookers' (disciples and Gadarenes) still being afraid (see

Luke 8:25, 35-37).

What type of "fear" was involved in each instance? Compare

Luke 8:25 with Matthew 8:27. Analyze Luke 8:35-37.

We can rest from fear as Jesus did.

"When Jesus was awakened to

meet the storm, He was in perfect peace. There was no trace of fear in

word or look, for no fear was in His heart. . . . It was in faith—faith in

God's love and care—that Jesus rested, and the power of that word which

stilled the storm was the power of God. As Jesus rested by faith in the

Father's care, so we are to rest in the care of our Saviour."—The

Desire of

Ages,

p. 336.

5. What kinds of fear did Jesus come to remove? List the answers

found in the texts below.

•

Matt. 10:28-31



•

Rom. 8:15-17

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•

Heb. 13:6



•

1 John 4:18

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•

Rev. 2:10

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"He shall fight for you."

When the situation on one heavily popu-

lated island seemed desperate for its defenders during a war, the chief of

the imperial staff of a nation responsible for that island sent the governor a

telegram that contained a Bible reference, "Deuteronomy, chapter 3, verse

22." When the defenders consulted their Bibles, they read the encourag-

ing words, "Ye shall not fear them; for the Lord your God he shall fight

for you." God sends that same message to each beleaguered person being

attacked by the forces of evil today.

III. POWER OVER SIN AND SINNERS (Matt. 9:1-17).

The Great Physician not only prescribes remedies but also is caring,

concerned, and full of compassion. Through His love and interest while He

was here on earth He enabled many to trust Him enough that they could be

made whole. His love brings physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.

6. What led Jesus to indicate in Matthew 9:5, 6 (NKJV) that it was

as easy for Him to say, "Your sins are forgiven," as to command,

"Arise and walk"?

It would seem easy to say, "Your sins are forgiven," for there was no

means by which the listeners could validate the statement. But to say,

"Arise and walk," was capable of being demonstrated. Jesus said both,

and the miracle of the paralytic being able to walk immediately proved

beyond doubt that his sins were forgiven. Moreover, the miracle proved

that Jesus was God, who had a perfect right to forgive sins.

Sin often the basis of illness.

"The paralytic found in Christ healing

for both the soul and the' body. The spiritual healing was followed by

physical restoration. This lesson should not be overlooked. There are today

thousands suffering from physical disease, who, like the paralytic, are

longing for the message, 'Thy sins are forgiven.' The burden of sin, with

its unrest and unsatisfied desires, is the foundation of their maladies. They

can find no relief until they come to the Healer of the soul. The peace

which He alone can give would impart vigor to the mind, and health to the

body."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 270.

What is the deep significance of Christ's kind of forgiveness?

Jesus showed that forgiveness is far from being merely a legal term.

The Pharisees and rabbis had condemned this man to God's wrath and had

informed him that he was suffering the curse of God for his sins. Jesus pro-

vided healing for both body and spirit.

The outflow of redeeming love.

"Forgiveness has a broader meaning

than many suppose. When God gives the promise that He 'will abundantly

pardon,' He adds, as if the meaning of that promise exceeded all that we

could comprehend: 'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your

ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your

thoughts.' Isaiah 55:7-9. God's forgiveness is not merely a judicial act by

which He sets us free from condemnation. It is not only forgiveness

for

sin,

but reclaiming

from

sin. It is the outflow of redeeming love that transforms

the

heart."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,

p. 114.

Which was more difficult for Jesus to heal, physical or spiritual

disease? Why?

IV. POWER OVER DEATH AND DEMONS (Matt. 9:18-34).

In spite of the tremendous progress of modern medicine, doctors have

to admit that there is much about illness and disease that remains unknown.

When Jesus was on earth no diseased person who came to Him for healing

went away ill.

What do the stories of the healing of the woman suffering from a

hemorrhage and the raising of Jairus' daughter recorded in Mat-

thew 9 teach us about Christ's healing power?

10.

What factor was essential in both the healing and the resurrec-

tion? Matt. 9:22; Mark 5:36.

Faith is essential for receiving the gifts of God's love—health, happi-

ness, and heaven. A loss of faith leads to a loss of relationship and an un-

willingness to receive all that God has made available. How thankful we

can be that we

can

trust God. Such a bond of trust in Someone who has

proven to be trustworthy at all times and in all matters is one of the greatest

healing agencies for both body and soul.

Think it through: Is there anyone God cannot heal?

11.

What miracle particularly impressed the multitudes? To what

depth did the Pharisees resort in trying to explain it? Matt. 9:32-

34.

When Jesus cast out demons, the Pharisees maintained that His power

to do so came from the prince of demons. With this blasphemous contra-

diction of the truth, they deprived themselves of the Spirit of truth.

God will save everyone He possibly can—everyone who is willing. The

choice to be lost is made by those who reject Him. The Pharisees could not

be healed spiritually as long as they refused to come to the Great Physi-

cian, admitting that they were sick and desiring to be made whole.

V. POWER GIVEN TO THE DISCIPLES (Matt. 9:35-10:42).

In spite of all that Jesus did to heal people spiritually and physically, it

seemed there was not enough physical energy and time to help all who

needed to know God better. In His compassion and pity for the crowds in

their helplessness, Jesus informed His disciples that "the harvest is plenti-

ful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send

out laborers into his harvest" (Matt. 9:37, 38, RSV).

12.

What did Jesus do to provide laborers for the harvest? Matt.

10:1-5.

The twelve apostles were, literally, "the ones sent" in response to the

need He had pointed out to them. Later He sent out 70 additional workers

to prepare the way for His ministry (see Luke 10).

13.

Among the specific orders in Matthew 10 that Jesus gave the dis-

ciples for carrying on their ministry, list some that you consider

to be applicable in a special way to your work.

14.

Why did Jesus instruct the disciples (Matthew 10:14) to shake

the dust off their feet if a house or village rejected them? Does

this misrepresent God's character?

Note how the disciples were to deal with persecution:

•

Be wisely cautious but harmless in spreading the truth.

•

Do not trust those who have shown they cannot be trusted.

•

Rely on the Holy Spirit for the content of your message.

•

When they persecute you in one place, flee to another.

•

Do not be afraid of your persecutors.

•

Do not be a coward or compromise.

•

Take up Christ's cross and follow Him.

Stand for principle, but do not invite persecution.

Jesus taught and

modeled Christian love for our enemies. He wept over those who rejected

Him; called His betrayer, "Friend;" and prayed for forgiveness for His

murderers. Yet at the same time, He avoided persecution whenever

possible until His hour had come when He was to die.

AM I BEING HEALED BY THE GREAT PHYSICIAN?

•

Have I found Him to be One whom I can absolutely trust to heal me

completely from sin? If not, how can I find Him?

•

Do I trust Him because I know Him through His Word?

•

Have my hidden fears of God been relieved and replaced with full

confidence by learning to know Him as He is?

•

Do I admire His compassionate ways with the sin-sick and seek to

emulate Him as I minister to others?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read as much as you can in

the Ministry of Healing

from the chapters entitled "Our Example,"

'Days of Ministry," "The Touch of Faith," "Healing of the Soul," and

"Saved to Serve," pp. 17-50; 59-107.

SUMMARY:

God seeks to heal us from sin as a compassionate physician

works to help a seriously ill patient recover fully. His greatest joy is to

make us whole again. His services are free; His only request is that we

reach out in faith to allow Him to restore us to His image. We are to be as-

sistants of the Great Physician in a ministry designed to make sinners

whole.

Lesson

February 4-10

Opposition to the

Kingdom

THIS WEEK'S LESSON: Matthew 11 to 13.

'SKB

MEMORY TEXT: "He that committeth sin is of the devil; for

the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of

God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the

devil" (1 John 3:8).

JESUS FACED SATAN'S OPPOSITION.

Jesus often found Himself

engaged in intense struggles with those who claimed to be guardians of the

truth but actually had joined Satan in misrepresenting God. In word and

deed He did His best to set the record straight. His patience and love

toward His opponents provide a model for those who must deal with

bigotry today.

OUTLINE

Meeting Misunderstanding (Matt. 11:1-30).

II.

Meeting Legalism (Matt. 12:1-21).

III.

A House Divided (Matt. 12:22-50).

IV.

Parables of the Kingdom (Matt. 13:1-58).

REJECTED BY THE MAJORITY.

When Jesus came, most of His

people rejected Him, not because He was strong and overpowering, but be-

cause He was gentle and peaceful. Instead of using force and violence, He

spoke truth, exercised reason, and sought their trust. He did not shout or

raise His voice (Matt. 12:19, RSV).

When He dined with prostitutes and tax collectors, the Pharisees com-

plained that He was soft on sin. When He celebrated the Sabbath as God

intended it to be celebrated, they condemned Him as a lawbreaker. When

He set people free from demons, they claimed that His power came from

Satan.

Because of the depth of the opposition by His enemies, Jesus avoided

Jerusalem most of the time after His first year of ministry, working in other

areas. Because the leaders in Jerusalem sent spies to follow Him, the Lord

warned many of those He healed not to reveal to others what He had done,

and He often taught in parables.

Jesus revealed God's way of working.

Jesus' actions, as well as His

parables, tell us much about our God. In His Word He provides the

treasure hidden in a field. He allows sinners to stay in the same church as

the saints. Our God is unobtrusive and unassuming.

What a way to conquer opposition! It bewildered all who watched,

temporarily confusing even John the Baptist. It sometimes discouraged the

twelve disciples. It infuriated the religious leaders. Even now, God's way

of working is often misunderstood or escapes our notice.

I. MEETING MISUNDERSTANDING (Matt. 11:1-30).

As John the Baptist sat in prison, he received reports from his disciples

about the One whom he understood to be the Messiah. Jesus was healing

everyone who came to Him for help. He was casting out demons. He even

was raising the dead. Yet His forerunner, who prepared the way for Him to

do all this, languished in prison, apparently ignored.

John expected more decisive action by Christ.

"Like the Saviour's

disciples, John the Baptist did not understand the nature of Christ's

kingdom. He expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and as time passed,

and the Saviour made no claim to kingly authority, John became perplexed

and troubled. He had declared to the people that in order for the way to be

prepared before the Lord, . . . the mountains and hills must be brought low,

the crooked made straight, and the rough places plain. He had looked for the

high places of human pride and power to be cast down. He had pointed to the

Messiah as the One whose fan was in His hand, and who would thoroughly

purge His floor, who would gather the wheat into His gamer, and burn up the

chaff with unquenchable fire. Like the prophet Elijah, in whose spirit and

power he had come to Israel, he looked for the Lord to reveal Himself as a

God that answereth by

fire."—The Desire of Ages,

p. 215.

Complete the chart that follows as a means of showing why prison

was so difficult for John and why he misunderstood Christ's ap-

proach to His ministry.

Comparisons

John's Ministry

Jesus' Ministry

Lifestyle

Relative isolation

Approach

to people

Associated with

sinners, socialized

Understanding

of nature of

kingdom

Earthly kingdom,

expected Christ

to take throne

Message

Jesus, content to

train disciples,

avoided conflict

How did Jesus respond to John's inquiry? What did He do to in-

crease John's faith? Matt. 11:4-6; Luke 7:20-23.

MON

When John's disciples came asking, "Are You the Messiah?" Jesus did

not give them a direct reply. Instead, He seemed to ignore their question

while He healed and comforted the sick, cast out demons, and taught the

outcasts. Finally, toward the end of the day, He turned toward the disciples

and said, "Go and tell John what you have heard and seen."

When the disciples delivered their witness to John, it satisfied him.

Weighing what was reported to him against the messages of the Old Testa-

ment, John recognized that the works of Christ "declared Him to be the

Messiah" and "showed in what manner His kingdom was to be estab-

lished"—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 217.

What did Jesus mean when He said that he who "is least in the

kingdom of heaven is greater than" John the Baptist (Matt.

11:11)?

John did not witness Christ's ministry.

"It was not for him to see the

blind restored to sight, the sick healed, and the dead raised to life. He did

not behold the light that shone through every word of Christ, shedding

glory upon the promises of prophecy. The least disciple who saw Christ's

mighty works and heard His words was in this sense more highly privi-

leged than John the Baptist, and therefore is said to have been greater than

he."—The Desire of Ages,

p. 220.

As was true of many of the prophets before him, John had spoken

strongly about the kingdom. Forceful words and actions characterized both

John and Elijah. Both had become the subjects of persecution. The king-

dom of heaven had sometimes seemed to come forcibly and often had

suffered from force. But now the true Ruler of the kingdom had come. He

did not come to set up His kingdom with force and violence. Even then, He

suffered worse violence than the prophets before Him. He did not come to

be served but to serve. He did not come to "lord it over" others (see Mark

10:42, NIV) and to rule over them. He who was the greatest in the king-

dom referred to Himself as a "servant."

Father and Son in complete agreement.

"Had God the Father come

to our world and dwelt among us, humbling Himself, veiling His glory,

that humanity might look upon Him, the history that we have of the life of

Christ would not have been changed. . . . In every act of Jesus, in every

lesson of His instruction, we are to see and hear and recognize God. In

sight, in hearing, in effect, it is the voice and movements of the Father."—

That I May Know Him,

p. 338.

This led Jesus to say, "No one knows the Son except the Father" (Matt.

11:27, NIV). That is, no one understands My mission except the One who is

like Me. "No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the

Son chooses to reveal Him."

How do Jesus' words in Matthew 11:28-30 fit into the context of

this chapter?

Jesus did not want anyone to feel shut out from His love and care.

All who are burdened with the load of sin and feel the need of spiritual

rest may come to Jesus and exchange their heavy load for His happy

yoke.

II. MEETING LEGALISM (Matt. 12:1-21).

The Jews added multitudinous restrictions in an attempt to safeguard

the fourth commandment, as well as the other precepts of the law. With

meticulous exactness, they endeavored to accomplish the impossible by

covering every circumstance from eating, to walking, to illness on the Sab-

bath. For example, a devout Jew could not walk more than 2,000 cubits

(approximately 3,000 feet) on the Sabbath day unless on Friday he pre-

pared some food and placed it at that limit. He could then go an additional

2,000 cubits on the Sabbath because the place he left food could be termed

his residence.

What two events illustrate Jesus' way of turning people's attention

to true Sabbath keeping? What do they teach us about Sabbath

observance?

Matt. 12:1-8



Matt. 12:9-14



We do not gain the blessing God puts into the Sabbath if our Sabbath

keeping does not lead to full enjoyment of mental, spiritual, and physical

wholeness.

What does Mark 2:27 add to Matthew's account?

What is the significance of the fact that Jesus is Lord of the Sab-

bath?

"The Saviour Himself has the right to determine what is appro-

priate to that day; consequently, the Pharisees were exceeding their pre-

rogatives. . . . The church has no right to load the Sabbath with oppressive

restrictions—as did the Jews—or to attempt the transfer of its sacredness

from one day to another. Both are devices of the evil one designed to lure

men away from the true spirit of Sabbath observance."—SDA

Bible Com-

mentary, vol.

5, p. 589.

In what masterful way did Jesus turn the questions raised by His

hypocritical accusers in the synagogue back on them? Matt. 12:10-

12.

WED

Read Matthew 12:18-21 carefully. What do we learn about

Christ's ministry and about God from these verses?

III. A HOUSE DIVIDED (Matt. 12:22-50).

As opposition increased, everything Jesus did was criticized and con-

demned by those seeking to countermand His influence.

What contrasting reactions followed Jesus' spectacular miracle of

healing a man who was blind, dumb, and devil-possessed? Matt.

12:22-24.

The reaction of the crowd



The reaction of the Pharisees



In response to the Pharisees, Jesus reduced their argument to an absurd-

ity, pointing out that the devil could not be expected to be so foolish as to

work at cross purposes with himself. If it were true, He said, that Satan

could cast out Satan, then his kingdom is divided against itself. If Jesus

were of Satan's kingdom, then He was not a real threat. But if Jesus were

from God, then by their very opposition to Him, they were placing them-

selves on Satan's side of the great controversy.

10.

What is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which cannot "be

forgiven" (Matt. 12:31, 32)? How did God's chosen people com-

mit this sin as a nation?

There are at least two elements involved in the unpardonable sin (the

blasphemy against the Holy Spirit): 1. Progressive rejection of the convic-

tion that service is owed to Christ and that His teaching is the truth. "If we

deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the

truth, no sacrifice for sins is left" (Heb. 10:26, NIV). 2. The blasphemy of

crediting to Satan the work of the Holy Spirit, and vice versa. (See Num.

16:28-35, 41-49.)

A gradual increase in darkness.

"It is not God that blinds the eyes of

men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and

to lead them in safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes

are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and al-

most imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's word, through

His servants, or by the direct agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of

light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual percep-

tions, and the second revealing of light is less clearly discerned. So the

darkness increases, until it is night in the soul. Thus it had been with these

Jewish leaders. They were convinced that a divine power attended Christ,

but in order to resist the truth, they attributed the work of the Holy Spirit

to Satan. In doing this they deliberately chose deception; they yielded

themselves to Satan, and henceforth they were controlled by his

power."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 322, 323.

11.

How does God decide who will be saved and who will be lost?

Matt. 12:33-37.

Why are the words we speak so vital a part of our Christian ex-

perience?

Words are an indication of character. They reveal the state of a

person's mind. Words also influence the character of the speaker. In-

dividuals can be deceived by their own evil words. Their characters are

molded by their own verbal expressions. (See Ps. 36:1-3; Rom. 3:13-15;

James 3:6;

The Desire of Ages,

p. 323.)

12.

What warning did Jesus give to those who received His words

gladly but who did not surrender themselves to the indwelling of

the Holy Spirit? Matt. 12:43-45.

TAU

IV. PARABLES OF THE KINGDOM (Matt. 13:1-58).

Christ sought to clarify what His kingdom of grace was like by teaching

in parables that impress us to this very day. His kingdom of love and grace

seems, at times, vulnerable and weak when it is faced by conflict with

powers using force, manipulation, and deception. Like the parable of the

grain of mustard seed, the truth about God seems to take such gentle, im-

perceptible root in the minds of people who hear it, that some may doubt

its strength.

13. List at least three reasons why Jesus used parables. Matt. 13:10-

17, 34, 35.



If you have access to it, you will find that the

SDA Bible Commentary,

vol. 5, p. 204, lists five reasons why Christ taught in parables.

14. In your own words summarize the main lesson of Christ's para-

ble of the sower recorded in Matthew 13:3-9; 18-23.

15. What do the treasure hidden in the field and the fine pearl of

Matthew 13:44-46 represent?

Note the double application

that can be given to the figure of the mer-

chantman seeking the pearl of great price. It may refer to humanity seek-

ing the King of heaven. It also may refer to Christ seeking the salvation of

the lost. (See

Christ's Object Lessons,

p. 118.)

When we see God as Jesus revealed Him, we desire Him in the same

way that the man who found the buried treasure desired to have that

treasure—no matter what the cost—or the merchant, who sold all he had to

purchase the pearl of great price, valued that pearl. Our interest in reveal-

ing our gracious Saviour and sharing our treasure with those about us will

swallow up every other interest.

WHICH SIDE OF THE GREAT CONTROVERSY HAVE I

CHOSEN?

•

Do I prefer strong words or gentle ones when disciplining my

children?

•

Do I long to control others, or do I wish for them to be free?

•

Does the way I keep the Sabbath reveal that I enjoy spending time

with my heavenly Father, or does it reveal that

am afraid of what He

will do to me if I fail to keep it holy?

•

Does my life attract others to the Pearl of great price?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

This lessdh did not touch on

the following parables in Matthew 13: the wheat and the tares, the mustard

seed, the leaven, the net, and truths new and old. Select one of these to

study in detail. If you have Ellen White's

Christ's Object Lessons,

use the

appropriate sections to supplement your study.

SUMMARY:

A true knowledge of God that leads us to trust Him will, in

turn, lead to loving service, joyous Sabbath keeping, an eagerness to be

with God, and an active desire to make Him known to others. When we

yield all to God, we are bound to meet opposition. But we should keep in

mind that Satan is a defeated foe. The great controversy is fought daily

over truth and error in people's minds; the side chosen and the direction of

the focus will determine the outcome of each battle.

Lesson

February 11-17

A King arm Provkies,

Prrotects, and Saves

THIS WEEK'S LESSON: Matthew 14:1 to 16:12

SWB

MEMORY TEXT: "Labour not for the meat which perisheth,

but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the

Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father

sealed" (John 6:27).

A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM.

As Jesus moved toward the climax of His

ministry, the difference between His concept of kingship and the people's

became increasingly clear. His ministry and teaching revealed the spiritual

nature of His kingdom. As divine Provider, Protector, and Saviour, He

sought to introduce people to the kingdom of grace, as the prelude to their

entry into the kingdom of glory.

OUTLINE

A King Who Destroys (Matt. 14:1-13).

II.

The King Who Serves His People (Matt. 14:14-36).

III.

The King Who Rejects Human Tradition (Matt. 15:1-28).

IV.

The King Who Saves by Love (Matt. 15:29-16:12).

A NEW CONCEPT OF KINGSHIP.

In ancient times, God's character

was often misrepresented by the kings who ruled the chosen nation. People

came to view Him,as they did their earthly kings who killed prophets and

innocent people and made their sons and daughters slaves. By the time

Jesus came, God was viewed by many as a tyrannical ruler whose every

whim must be obeyed or punishment would follow.

Jesus did not fit the mold. His methods of running the world were alien

to the concepts prevalent at the time. His kingship and laws were of a

totally different quality.

A King who provides, protects, and

saves. Rather than forcing out

the Romans, marching into Jerusalem as crown prince, and feeding the

people in the event of a siege, Jesus withdrew from opposition whenever

possible. He did not intervene to prevent His cousin from dying a lonely

martyr's death. As the divine Provider, He fed the five thousand and the

four thousand and healed the sick. As the divine Protector, He sheltered

His followers in time of storm. As the Saviour, He rejected traditional

human methods of salvation, emphasizing the need of a relationship

with the heavenly Father. Only thus could the impure become pure and

hypocrites become sincere. Only thus could He be recognized as "the

Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matt. 16:16).

King



rove • es, Protects,



ebruary

I. A KING WHO DESTROYS (Matt. 14:1-13).

Herod the tetrarch is known in history as "Herod Antipas." The son

of Herod the Great, he was educated in Rome along with his brother

Archelaus and his half brother Philip. After the death of his father, he

became ruler of Galilee and Perea. His marriage to the daughter of

Aretas IV, the king of the Nabataeans, came to an end when, during a

visit to Rome, he fell in love with his niece, the wife of his half brother,

Herod Philip. Herodias left her husband and lived with Herod Antipas.

Because John the Baptist rebuked Antipas for this adulterous relation-

ship, Herodias hated John and conspired to have him imprisoned and

put to death.

What concern led Herod the tetrarch to identify Jesus as John the

Baptist risen from the dead? Matt. 14:1, 2.

"When Herod heard of the works of Christ, he was exceedingly

troubled. He thought that God had raised John from the dead, and sent him

forth with still greater power to condemn sin. He was in constant fear that

John would avenge his death by passing condemnation upon him and his

house. Herod was reaping that which God had declared to be the result of

a course of

sin."—The Desire of Ages,

p. 223.

Guilt is the basis of many human fears. List some of the fears,

whether rational or irrational, that result from unresolved guilt.

What do the contacts of John the Baptist reveal about his work?

Matt. 14:3, 4.

Consider the forthright rebukes of sin in John's preaching. (See Matt.

3:7-10; Luke 3:10-14, 19, 20.) Despite his frankness, John won the hearts

of the people. Even Herod and his lords respected him. "Herod believed

John to be a prophet of God, and he fully intended to set him at liberty. But

he delayed his purpose from fear of Herodias."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp.

220, 221. Herod's officers of state "had traveled long distances in order to

hear the preaching of John, and they knew him to be a man without crime,

and a servant of God."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 221.

Questions for Christians to consider.

Rebuke sometimes drives

people away from Christ. But John's rebukes were accepted by multitudes

of people who repented of their sins and turned to God. What element in

John's preaching won their hearts? What kind of rebuke draws souls to the

Lord rather than repulsing them and driving them away? (See 2 Tim. 4:2;

TUE

Rev. 3:19.) Since John's rebukes were accepted by so many, why did

Herodias respond negatively?

What led Herod to give in to Herodias? What does this tell us

about some earthly rulers? Matt. 14:5-11.

Why is it a privilege to suffer for Christ, as John the Baptist did?

Why do Bible writers extol suffering as a special honor? Rom.

8:17; 1 Peter 5:10; Phil. 1:29.

"And of all the gifts that Heaven can bestow upon men, fellowship with

Christ in His sufferings is the most weighty trust and the highest

honor."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 225.

Why is this? Have your trials brought you nearer to Christ? Why, or

why not?

What became of Herod Antipas? "In

A.D. 37 Agrippa, Herodias'

brother, was made king over,the northeastern territories of Palestine that

Philip . . . had held. Herodias, dissatisfied that her husband had the title

only of tetrarch, induced him to go with her to Rome and to seek a royal

crown from Caligula. Agrippa, however, sent letters to Rome accusing his

uncle Antipas of treasonable activities. As a result, instead of being made

a king, Herod was banished in A.D. 39, to either Gaul or Spain, where

Herodias followed him into exile. His territory was added to that of his ac-

cuser, Agrippa."—SDA

Bible Dictionary,

p. 481.

II. THE KING WHO SERVES HIS PEOPLE (Matt. 14:14-36).

When Jesus heard of John's death, in sorrow He withdrew to a quiet

place. Jesus wished to minimize publicity and thus protect His mission

from Herod and His enemies. When the people saw where He was going,

they went on foot to the spot where He was. Jesus healed their sick and

taught them the principles of His kingdom.

What principles of the kingdom did Jesus demonstrate by the fol-

lowing actions?

His healing (Matt. 14:14)



His refusal to send the people away hungry (Matt. 14:16)

The miracle of the loaves and fish (Matt. 14:17-19)



•

The disciples employed as distributors (Matt. 14:19)

•

The collection of the leftovers (Matt. 14:20)



"The Saviour has not promised His followers the luxuries of the world;

their fare may be plain, and even scanty; their lot may be shut in by

poverty; but His word is pledged that their need shall be supplied, and He

has promised that which is far better than worldly good,—the abiding com-

fort of His own presence."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 367.

7. Why did Jesus constrain His disciples "to get into a ship, and to

go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes

away" (Matt. 14:22)? Compare John 6:14, 15.

Think through the following questions:

•

Why were the people who witnessed the feeding of the five

thousand impressed by Jesus' qualifications to be a great national

leader?

•

Why would a popular movement to make Him king interfere with

the purpose for which Jesus came to earth? Would He have been in a

more strategic position to save humanity if He were appointed as a na-

tional leader?

•

What was so wrong with the ambitions of the disciples? If people

are eager to exalt you, why disappoint them? Is it not possible for

spirituality and national greatness to coexist?

What did the events that followed reveal about the nature of

Jesus' kingdom? Matt. 14:23-27.

Now the divine Provider, who had fed the five thousand, became the

divine Protector, consumed by overwhelming concern for the spiritual and

physical life of His disciples.

"When left alone, Jesus 'went up into a mountain apart to pray.' For

hours He continued pleading with God. Not for Himself, but for men were

those prayers. He prayed for power to reveal to men the divine character of

His mission that Satan might not blind their understanding and pervert

their judgment. . . . In travail and conflict of soul He prayed for His dis-

ciples."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 379.

When Peter, who believed that Jesus should be king, saw Him

walking on the water, he believed that, with Jesus' help, he could

do it too. Why did he begin to sink? See John 15:4-7; Heb. 11:6;

Prov. 16:18.

As long as he looked to Jesus, Peter was able to walk on the water. Be-

coming self-confident, he looked away from Christ and began to fall. The

lesson applies with equal force to us. Relying upon Christ's grace, we are

able to serve Him. Depending on our own resources, we are sure to fail.

(See John 15:5-7.)

III. THE KING WHO REJECTS HUMAN TRADITION (Matt.

15:1-28).

10.

Why did Jesus reject "the tradition of the elders"? Matt. 15:1-9;

compare Col. 2:8.

Jesus cited the common example that, in order to have a pious reason to

neglect his parents, a man could simply pronounce the word

corban

over

his property and means, thus proclaiming it to be a gift to God and the

temple. (See Mark 7:11.) Thus, under hypocritical pretense of devotion to

God, a person could avoid the responsibility of financially supporting his

parents.

11.

What kind of tradition does Christ accept? 2 Thess. 2:15; 3:6.

12.

According to Jesus' parable, what is the cause of spiritual defile-

ment? Matt. 15:10-20.

The issue here is not diet or exercise, but the ceremonial washing of

hands before a meal. Very careful observers of man-made laws believed

that it was necessary to wash the hands clear to the elbows. This was not a

matter of hygiene, but rather of so-called ceremonial defilement. To them

it was a religious matter, as important as loving one's neighbor—if not, in

actual practice, more important.

By refusing to wash His hands in the manner required, Jesus en-

deavored to demonstrate that true obedience is a matter of the thoughts and

attitudes of the heart, rather than of ritualistic outward conformity. Evil

thoughts are defiling because they lead to evil deeds. (See

The Desire of

Ages,

pp. 396, 397.)

13.

How did Jesus demonstrate to His disciples that one of their na-

tional traditions was contrary to God's will? Matt. 15:21-28.

"With deliberate design it seems that Jesus chose this area in which He

might teach in a real life situation that which He had set forth in words. So

He moved from the classroom into life itself. He is still answering the

question as to tradition. And in this particular instance He shows how the

WED

tradition of the elders stifled the priest-nation's mission of

evangelism

the other nations of the world."—Herschel H. Hobbs,

An Exposition of the

Four Gospels

(Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1965), vol. 1, p.

202.

The message applies to us. List three current traditions, or societal

conventions, that run counter to God's will as it is taught in His Word.

What do you think Christians can do to correct such problems?

IV. THE KING WHO SAVES BY LOVE (Matt. 15:29-16:12).

Jesus' style of kingship and leadership was in striking contrast to that of

Herod Antipas and the religious leaders of the nation. He repudiated

cruelty, selfishness, and customs that were contradictory to His divine law.

The three stories in this section illustrate graphically the character of God

and the nature of the Kingdom to which He is calling us.

14.

What was the primary purpose of Christ's healing miracles? How

was this purpose fulfilled in the story recorded in Matthew 15:29-

31?

The individual who had faith to believe that Jesus could heal his body

also had faith to believe that He would be the Saviour from sin. Jesus il-

lustrated for us that the way to the human heart is often through ministry

to the illnesses and sufferings of the flesh.

15.

Note the similarities and differences between the feeding of the

five thousand (Matt. 14:13-21) and the feeding of the four

thousand (Matt. 15:32-39). Why does Matthew give the two ac-

counts in such close proximity?

"Some insist that this is a repetition of the account of the feeding of the

five thousand. But there is no legitimate reason to do so. Certainly Jesus

Himself mentioned both events (cf. Matt. 16:9, 10). If we examine the in-

cident of the four thousand in the light of Matthew's purpose the reason for

it is quite clear. He is still recording Jesus' demonstrated reply to the ac-

cusation of the Pharisees concerning the tradition of the elders. Jesus

healed the Jews. He healed the Gentiles. He fed the Jews. He fed the Gen-

tiles. His ministry to the one is His ministry to the other. So He completely

refutes the tradition of the elders."—Hobbs,

An Exposition of the Four

Gospels, vol.

1, p. 206.

"He healed them all; and the people, heathen as they were, glorified the

God of Israel. For three days they continued to throng about the Saviour.

. . . Moreover, those whom He fed at Bethsaida were Jews; these were

Gentiles and heathen."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 404, 405.

16. Consider the following questions regarding the request for a sign

by the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 16:1-12):

•

Why did the religious leaders ask for another miracle?

•

What blinded the minds of these leaders to the truthfulness of

Jesus' claims?

•

What did Jesus mean by the sign of Jonah?

•

What aspects of the teaching of the religious leaders can be likened

to leaven?

WHAT DOES CHRIST'S CALL TO HIS KINGDOM MEAN TO

ME?

•

Do I need to change my attitudes toward others, as Herod was

asked to do?

•

How can I gain stronger faith in Christ as the divine Provider and

Protector? How can I share this faith?

•

What traditional attitudes and customs should I now discard?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "Give Ye Them to

Eat," "The Crisis in Galilee," "Tradition," and "The True Sign" in

The

Desire of Ages,

chapters 39, 41, 42, and 44, pp. 364-371, 383-398, 404-

409.

SUMMARY:

While Christ is all-powerful and kingly, He is also a com-

passionate friend of the weak and sinful. His kingly authority is demon-

strated by His constant watchcare for and personal interaction with His

children. Christ's kingdom is built upon love, fairness, and gentle service.

These are basic principles and virtues of the character of God.

Lesson

February 18-24

A Kingdom of Glory

and Grace

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matt. 16:13 to 18:35.

SAB

MEMORY TEXT: "Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any

man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his

cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:

and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" (Mat-

thew 16:24, 25).

A KINGDOM NOW AND LATER.

The kingdom of Christ is character-

ized by a series of paradoxes: humility and exaltation, meekness and ma-

jesty, freedom from sin and slavery to righteousness, forgiveness for the

worst of sinners and purity for delivered saints. The kingdom of grace is

now; the kingdom of glory later. The qualifications for the one are the

qualifications for the other. The kingdom of glory is pervaded by the prin-

ciples that govern the kingdom of grace.

OUTLINE

The Church a Kingdom of Grace (Matt. 16:13-28).

II.

Majesty and Meekness (Matt. 17:1-13).

III.

Sons of God Are Free (Matt. 17:14-27).

IV.

Humble Service for Sinners (Matt. 18:1-20).

What Is Forgiveness? (Matt. 18:21-35).

THE ISSUE DISCUSSED IN THIS LESSON.

The natural tendency of

the human heart is toward personal gratification and aggrandizement. The

kingdoms and nations of the world are maintained by human pride and

power. In politics, business, education, and sports, individual success is

supposed to result from reaching down into the recesses of the mind and

calling up one's natural powers and abilities. The concept of dependence is

alien to much of human endeavor. The idea that greatness is a matter of

humble service, willing forgiveness, and constant reliance upon God for

strength and wisdom is foreign to the success philosophy that pervades

world societies.

Jesus taught that the cross precedes the crown.

In fact, He empha-

sized that anyone who refuses the cross is unworthy of the crown. The

kingdom of grace is designed to prepare the citizens of the kingdom of

glory. Conquest against impurity, selfishness, pride, and an unforgiving

spirit prepares the soul to "see the Son of man coming in his kingdom"

(Matt. 16:28).

Jesus' teaching on this issue has great relevance for us today. Salvation

is by grace alone (Eph. 2:8-10), yet Christ judges the recipient of grace on

the basis of the resulting attitudes and works (Matt. 16:27). The message of

this lesson is that surrender to Christ and dependence upon Him will ren-

der the believer a gentle, unobtrusive, forgiving servant of God and

humanity.

I. THE CHURCH A KINGDOM OF GRACE (Matt. 16:13-28).

Jesus thought the time had come for His disciples to make a statement

of their faith in Him. First, He asked for the popular opinion as to His iden-

tity. Most people did not regard Him as the Messiah. The popular view was

that He was one of the prophets raised from the dead. Then came the cru-

cial question for the disciples and for us: "But whom say ye that

am?"

(Matt. 16:15).

What blessing comes upon those who confess Christ

Peter did?

Matt. 16:16, 17; compare Rom. 10:9, 10.

Many of Jesus' followers had left Him when He did not fulfill their ex-

pectations. He had allowed John the Baptist to die a martyr's death, and He

had refused to take His place on David's throne.

Only the Holy Spirit can reveal the deep things of God.

"The truth

which Peter had confessed is the foundation of the believer's faith. It is

that which Christ Himself has declared to be eternal life. But the posses-

sion of this knowledge was no ground for self-glorification. Through no

wisdom or goodness of his own had it been revealed to Peter. Never can

humanity, of itself, attain to a knowledge of the divine. 'It is as high as

heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?' Job

11:8. Only the spirit of adoption can reveal to us the deep things of

God."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 412.

What did Jesus mean when He said, "Upon this rock I will build

my church"? Matt. 16:18. Compare 1 Cor. 3:11; 1 Peter 2:7, 8.

The name

Peter

is a translation of the masculine Greek word that means

"stone," a movable stone. It refers to a stone used by warriors, or a

boulder that forms a landmark. By contrast the "rock" upon which Christ

built His church translates the feminine Greek word

petra,

which often re-

fers to cliffs, ledges, or ridges. The two Greek words effectively illustrate

the characters of Peter and Christ.

The gates of hell temporarily prevailed against Peter.

"Peter was not

the rock upon which the church was founded. The gates of hell did prevail

against him when he denied his Lord with cursing and swearing. The

church was built upon One against whom the gates of hell could not pm-

vail."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 413.

The church is maintained by Christ. He

constantly imparts His Holy

Spirit to His believing people, fosters their spiritual life, and holds the min-

istry in the hollow of His hand. (See Rev. 1:16-20.) The church is built

upon the teachings of Jesus Christ. Only in a secondary sense is it true that

the teachings of the apostles and prophets form the foundation of the

church (Eph. 2:20). Their teachings are foundational only because they

come from Jesus Christ.

The church is a kingdom of grace.

Although in Scripture the church is

also a visible organization, the true church founded by Jesus consists of the

spiritual communion of those who, by faith, can affirm Peter's confession.

Jesus taught that "the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). The

church is a kingdom of grace. Immediately following that pronouncement,

Jesus predicted the manner in which the kingdom of glory would be estab-

lished (Luke 17:24).

What power and authority does Jesus give to the church when He

imparts the "keys of the kingdom of heaven"? Matt. 16:19. What

is involved in the church's binding and loosing? Compare Luke

11:52; Rev. 1:18;

3:7;

Matt. 18:18.

Jesus tells

all

the disciples [the pronoun is plural in the Greek], "I will

give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 16:19).

Words of Christ. "

'The keys of the kingdom of heaven' are the words

of Christ. All the words of Holy Scripture are His, and are here included.

These words have power to open and to shut heaven. They declare the con-

ditions upon which men are received or rejected. Thus the work of those

who preach God's word is a savor of life unto life or of death unto death.

Theirs is a mission weighted with eternal results."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 413, 414.

Christ binds and looses.

Matthew 16:19 translates literally from the

Greek text: "Whatever you bind upon earth shall have been bound in

heaven, and whatever you loose upon earth shall have been loosed in

heaven." Guided by the Holy Spirit, the church binds and looses only that

which has already been bound and loosed by God. Heaven alone decides

who is saved and who lost. (See Matt. 7:21-27; John 3:18.)

What principle distinguishes Christ's kingdom of grace from

earthly kingdoms and nations? Matt. 16:21-28.

II. MAJESTY AND MEEKNESS (Matt. 17:1-13).

5. What problem do you see in Matt. 16:28? How would you solve

the problem?

"Jesus had told His disciples that there were some standing with Him

who should not taste of death till they should see the kingdom of God

come with power. At the transfiguration this promise was fulfilled. . . .

Moses was present to represent those who will be raised from the dead at

the second appearing of Jesus. And Elijah, who was translated without

seeing death, represented those who will be changed to immortality at

Christ's second coming and will be translated to heaven without seeing

death."—Early

Writings,

p. 164.

What divine purposes were fulfilled on the mount of transfigura-

tion? Matt. 17:1-8.

Jesus gained strength and encouragement, not only from the brilliant

light and His Father's voice proclaiming His divinity and authority, but

from the conversation He enjoyed with two men who had been transported

to heaven. Despite their failures, Moses and Elijah, who had been taken to

heaven, were given the privilege of preparing Christ for the temptations

ahead. The appearance of Moses and Elijah brought Him encouragement

in facing these temptations. He was to be victorious where they had failed.

Their eternal salvation and that of the entire world depended upon His tri-

umph over the forces of evil. (See 1 John 2:2.) Consider also what the ex-

perience on the mountain did for Peter, James, and John.

How was Christ's prediction recorded in Matthew 17:11 to be ful-

filled?

As you investigate this question consider:

•

Jesus identified John the Baptist as Elijah who "is come already"

(verse 12).

•

Jesus was not asserting that John was Elijah literally brought back to

life. He was referring to the work and teaching of Elijah revived in the

work and teaching of John.

•

The work and. teaching of Elijah are to be repeated before the

second coming of Jesus. What message and ministry fulfills that

prediction? (See Hosea 4:5, 6; Rev. 14:6-12; Joel 2:28, 29.)

III. SONS OF GOD ARE FREE (Matt. 17:14-27).

Because Christ is the Son of God, He exercised certain privileges while

here on earth. He forgave sins and demonstrated His deity by miracles of

healing and raising the dead. Because the Son is free, so are His children.

(See John 8:34-36.) To belong to Christ's kingdom of grace is to be free

in the only true sense.

8. How did Jesus intend His disciples to work for sick and demon-

possessed people? Matt. 10:1, 8.

To what extent were the disciples successful in this work of heal-

ing and casting out demons? Luke 10:17-20.

The Bible does not record that, when Jesus and the disciples cast de-

mons out of ann individual, they did an incomplete and imperfect job, leav-

ing some demons behind to be cast out later. It was always possible for an

individual like Mary Magdalene, who was released from demon posses-

sion by Christ, to give in to sin again and allow demons to take up renewed

residence in the life. (See

The Desire of Ages,

p. 568.) Nevertheless, in the

presence of Christ, demons are forced to withdraw. As we present the

gospel and pray for those who are harassed, the Lord drives the demons

away from those who believe, and souls are liberated by His mighty

power.

10.

Why were the disciples not able to cast the demon out of the af-

flicted boy? Matt. 17:14-21.

As we study and meditate on the evidence of God's trustworthiness, and

pray, our faith is strengthened—not merely because we are convinced by

evidence but because the Holy Spirit brings faith to our hearts. Faith is a

gift from Christ. After we have earnestly sought Him in prayer and study,

and have carefully examined the evidences of His love, we must exercise

faith by consciously trusting Him. As we talk faith and live faith, our faith

will grow.

11.

Why did Jesus pay the temple tax through Peter, even though as

the Son of God He was exempt? What lesson is there in this for

us? Matt. 17:24-27.

IV. HUMBLE SERVICE FOR SINNERS (Matt. 18:1-20).

12.

How did Jesus illustrate God's concept of greatness? Matt. 18:1-

6; 23:8-11; John 13:4-10, 13-17.

Christ chooses the humble.

"The strife for the highest place was-

the outworking of that same spirit which was the beginning of the great

controversy in the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from

heaven to die. . . . Before honor is humility. To

fill a high place before

men, Heaven chooses the worker who, like John the Baptist, takes a

lowly place before God. The most childlike disciple is the most efficient

in labor for God. The heavenly intelligences can co-operate with him

who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save souls."—The

Desire of

Ages,

pp. 435, 436.

13.

By what drastic action did Jesus urge His followers to eliminate

the sin problem from their lives? Matt. 18:7-9.

Here is an instance in which Jesus uses metaphoric language to il-

lustrate a divine requirement. Mutilation of the body does not save the

soul, even though many throughout the history of the church have not

understood this. If a habit or practice is contrary to the will of God, the

only way to enjoy the blessings of salvation and to remain a member of

the kingdom of grace is to be rid of it completely. This can be accom-

plished by the divine gift of grace alone. (See Phil. 4:13; John 15:5;

1 John 5:4, 5.)

14.

List the attitudes and practices we are to adopt toward sinners in

general, and in particular toward those who have sinned against

us. Matt. 18:10-20; see also

The Desire of Ages,

pp. 440-442.

V. WHAT IS FORGIVENESS? (Matt. 18:21-35).

In popular rabbinic theology, three times was the maximum that an of-

fended party was obliged to forgive another person. When Peter asked

whether seven times were adequate, he probably expected Jesus to com-

mend him for his generosity.

15.

List the principles that Jesus taught regarding forgiveness (Matt.

18:21-35).

Verses 21, 22



Verse 27



Verses 28-35



When we confess in Christ's name, our guilt is destroyed because it was

borne on Calvary. (Compare Micah 7:19; 1 John 2:2; 4:10.) "The heavi-

est burden that we bear is the burden of sin. If we were left to bear this bur-

den, it would crush us. But the Sinless One has taken our place. 'The Lord

hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' Isa. 53:6. He has borne the burden

of our guilt. He will take the load from our weary shoulders. He will give

us rest. The burden of care and sorrow also He will bear. He invites us to

cast all our care upon Him; for He carries us upon His heart."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 328, 329.

DO I REPRESENT OR MISREPRESENT CHRIST TO OTHERS?

•

How do I treat "reckless teenagers" in the church?

•

Do I love those who do not live up to my social standards, or do I

avoid them because I'm afraid they'll ruin my reputation?

•

What do I do for the handicapped or other limited persons in my

church? Do I give them a cheering word and help them with their

needs?

•

When engaged in discussion, do I force my opinions on others, or

do I allow others to disagree with me without becoming offended?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read the chapters "He Was

Transfigured," "Ministry," and "Who Is the Greatest?" in

The Desire of

Ages,

pp. 419-442.

SUMMARY:

Because the church is founded on Jesus Christ, the prin-

ciples of His kingdom are to be manifest in the hearts of His people. The

kingdom of grace is governed by principles of love, humility, and service.

God is never rude or unkind, but treats all—sinner and saint alike—

graciously, whether or not they appreciate such treatment.

fJeeb0 Vanteb in

MisOion 8anb6

611)64em here at *eine

"To show a liberal self-denying spirit for the success

of foreign missions is a sure way to advance home

missionary work ; for the prosperity of the home

work depends largely, under GOD , upon the reflex

influence of the evangelical work done in countries

afar off "



GOSPEL WOPKERS page 465

Lesson

February 25—March 3

Service for the King

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 19:1 to 21:17.

MEMORY TEXT: "But Jesus called them unto him, and said,

Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over

them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But

it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among

you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among

you, let him be your servant" (Matthew 20:25-27).

GOD'S KINGDOM IS ONE OF SERVICE.

In His kingdom the kings

are those who serve as Jesus served. Christ's kingdom is filled with those

who honor one another and prefer one another. The King is humble and

righteous even while possessing His full authority and power.

OUTLINE

Service in the Home (Matt. 19:1-15).

II.

Relationship Motivates Service (Matt. 19:16-30).

III.

Equal Pay for Unequal Work (Matt. 20:1-16).

IV.

Greatness Is Sacrificial Service (Matt. 20:17-34).

The King Comes Humbly (Matt. 21:1-17).

KNOWING CHRIST IS THE BASIS OF TRUE GREATNESS.

When

kings or queens come to visit their subjects, there is usually much fanfare

and excitement. Banners wave, and people throng about, attempting to get

as close to the monarch as allowable. Whether the weather is fair or foul,

royalty brings eager crowds. And if a loyal subject must miss the event,

there is keen disappointment.

Jesus brought no less excitement when He rode into Jerusalem on the

Sunday before His crucifixion. Hailing Him the "son of David," the

people were prepared for Him to proclaim the fulfillment of the covenant

by ascending the throne and taking the kingly scepter.

They had little idea of the kind of king He really was, the nature of

His kingdom, or the kind of authority He would exercise. To many of

them, God was a forceful dictator who had to be appeased by sacrificial

offerings and almsgiving before He would listen to their prayers or bless

them. He was like any earthly ruler—only more powerful, wiser, and

more fearful.

The theme that recurs throughout this lesson

is that greatness does

not involve the power of rulership, but the privilege of service. In our

home lives, our lives at work, our contacts within the church, and outside

the church, happy, meaningful relationships are based on two factors: (1)

our personal relationship with Christ; and (2) our willingness to serve un-

selfishly.

SAB

I. SERVICE IN THE HOME (Matt. 19:1-15).

In Jesus' day, a man could divorce his wife for the slightest provoca-

tion—such as refusing to do something he asked her to do. Although she

could appeal her case, it was doubtful that she would be listened to or that

justice would be given.

The question that the Pharisees asked Jesus—"Is it lawful to divorce

one's wife for any cause?" (Matt. 19:3, RSV)—was one often disputed

among the rabbis. By asking Jesus' opinion, they sought to trap Him

into an expression of heresy that would damage His reputation with the

people.

Why is divorce and remarriage for any reason other than the

adultery of a spouse unacceptable to Christ? Matt. 19:3-9. Com-

pare 1 Cor. 7:10, 11.

"The only change made to accommodate the original marriage law to a

fallen world is that violation of the marriage contract by unchastity may

constitute• a lawful basis for dissolving the union. Otherwise, the union

may not lawfully be broken. . . . It should be noted that in the NT the term

`fornication' covers all illicit relationships both before and after marriage.

To the modern English reader the word `unchastity' conveys more exactly

the meaning of

porneia

as it is used in the NT. . . . From Jesus' teachings

here it may be inferred that the innocent party is free to choose whether the

marriage relationship shall be continued. Reconciliation is ever the ideal,

especially if children are involved.

"Here and in Jesus' parallel discussion in Matt. 5:32 it seems to be im-

plied, even though not specifically stated, that the innocent party to a

divorce is at liberty to marry again. This has been the understanding of the

great majority of commentators through the years."—SDA

Bible Commen-

tary, vol.

5, p. 454.

How only can faithfulness to marital vows be effectively main-

tained? Matt. 19:10-12.

"The Lord has quoted and explained the divine ordinance of

marriage. The disciples have replied, 'If such is the case . . . then it is

better not to marry.' So Jesus now shows that there is actually no rea-

son for despair. To be sure, not all men can accept his statement . . .

with reference to marriage as a divine institution of the highest signifi-

cance for man, one that must not be violated in any way. For this teach-

ing not all men

have room

in their hearts and lives. To properly fulfill

the responsibilities of marriage requires grace. This grace is God's gift.

Without this divine help, true, God-glorifying marriage is impossible.

"The disciples have suggested that it might be better not to marry.

Rather, Jesus implies, let a man ask for the gift of God's grace so that he

will be able, properly motivated, to enter the wedded state. Nevertheless,

apart entirely from this consideration, there still are situations which make

it either impossible or inadvisable for a man to many. There is that much

truth in the observation of the disciples."—William Hendriksen,

The

Gospel of Matthew,

p. 718.

How does Jesus' attitude to children relate to His instruction

regarding the sanctity of marriage? Matt. 19:13-15.

How appropriate that Christ's love for children should be illustrated in

such close proximity to His instruction regarding marriage! If there were

more concern for children in Christian homes, then there would be fewer

church members with broken homes. Surely the spiritual and emotional

happiness of our children should lead us to explore every avenue to happi-

ness in marriage and home life.

II. RELATIONSHIP MOTIVATES SERVICE (Matt. 19:16-30).

Did the rich young ruler keep the commandments? Why did Jesus

ask Him to give his wealth to the poor and become one of His dis-

ciples? Matt. 19:16-22.

As you seek an answer to the above question, ask yourself:

•

How are we saved? Gal. 2:16; Eph. 2:8-10.

•

How does the experience of salvation affect the life of the one

being saved? Matt. 19:17; compare Rom. 3:31; 8:3, 4.

•

Did the rich young ruler have the experience of salvation? How did

he keep the commandments—as God expects, or only as he under-

stood commandment keeping?

Why is it "hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven"

(Matt. 19:23, RSV)? Is the means of salvation for a rich person

different from that for a poor person?

Why did Jesus emphasize the rewards in store for those who make

sacrifices in His service? Does He want us to serve because of the

reward? Matt. 19:27-30; compare Heb. 11:26; Col. 3:23, 24;

1 Tim. 5:18.

A personal question.

What is my primary motive for service? What

was the primary motive of the rich young ruler? Is it possible that my pri-

mary motive for service is right, even though, as a secondary motive, I

look forward to the reward? (See

Christ's Object Lessons,

p. 398.)

III. EQUAL PAY FOR UNEQUAL WORK (Matt. 20:1-16).

7. Study the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matt. 20:1-16);

then answer the questions that follow:

•

What does the parable indicate regarding God's attitude to Christian

service?

•

How does the parable illustrate Jesus' statement, "But many that

are first shall be last; and the last shall be first"? (Matt 19:30; com-

pare 20:16).

•

How will the parable apply:

at the latter rain?



at the close of probation?



at the second advent?



"The householder's dealing with the workers in his vineyard represents

God's dealing with the human family. It is contrary to the customs that

prevail among men. . . . Those later hired believed the master's promise,

`Whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.' They showed their confidence

in him by asking no question in regard to wages. They trusted to his justice

and equity. They were rewarded, not according to the amount of their

labor, but according to the generosity of his purpose.

"So God desires us to trust in Him who justifieth the ungodly. His re-

ward is given not according to our merit but according to His own purpose,

`which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Eph. 3:11. . . .

"Not the amount of labor performed or its visible results but the spirit

in which the work is done makes it of value with

God."—Christ's Object

Lessons,

pp. 396, 397.

IV. GREATNESS IS SACRIFICIAL SERVICE (Matt. 20:17-34).

8. Why do you think Matthew narrated Jesus' prediction of His

death between the parable of the householder and the story of the

disciples' ambition? What is the relationship between these three

stories? Matt. 20:17-19 (in context).

The parable of the laborers in the vineyard illustrates the kind of service

God respects. The story of the sons of Zebedee seeking special honor il-

lustrates the wrong motive for service. What kind of service did Jesus ren-

der to lost humanity?

9. What was Jesus' instruction regarding leadership in the church?

Matt. 20:20-28.

The favorite pastime of Jesus' twelve disciples was to speculate on who

would be first in the new kingdom. As they witnessed His miracles and the

display of His power, and as the conflict grew toward greater proportions,

they concluded that Jesus would soon be crowned king in Jerusalem and

they would all be important. Who among them would be the most impor-

tant? Who would sit to His left and right as counselors and prime minis-

ters?

Their arguing became so intense and the issue so overriding that two of

the most favored ones decided they had better campaign for their positions

before it was too late.

Jesus' answer:

What did He mean by the cup of which both He and His disciples

were to drink? Compare Matt. 26:39; John 18:11.

Who will share Christ's heavenly throne? Matt. 19:28; Rev. 3:21.

Does Jesus' instruction against rulership imply that the church

should not have appointed leaders? Compare Acts 14:23; 15:2; 6:2, 3.

Respect leaders.

"Those who are inclined to regard their individual

judgment as supreme are in grave peril. It is Satan's studied effort to sepa-

rate such ones from those who are channels of light, through whom God

has wrought to build up and extend His work in the earth. To neglect or

despise those whom God has appointed to bear the responsibilities of

leadership in connection with the advancement of the truth, is to reject the

means that He has ordained for the help, encouragement, and strength of

His people. .. . Every agency will be subordinate to the Holy Spirit, and all

the believers will be united in an organized and well-directed effort to give

to the world the glad tidings of the grace of God."—The

Acts of the Apos-

tles,

p. 164.

10. What can we gain from Jesus' illustration of His teaching

regarding leadership and service? Matt. 20:29-34.

MI3DitgailD

ing

V. THE KING COMES HUMBLY (Matt. 21:1-17).

In the ancient .Near East, it was customary for a king to celebrate his

victory in war by riding into the capital city on the royal means of trans-

portation, followed by a large retinue, and then take his place on the

throne. Jesus followed this practice, knowing that it would lead to His

death. The day was filled with shouting, singing people who had no

thought of doom and no conception of what Jesus really was doing.

11.

How did the prophet Zechariah describe this coming event?

Zech. 9:9.

The New International Version translates the text: "See, your king

comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a

donkey." Attempts have been made to interpret this as a portrayal of a

victorious king—after the pattern of Near Eastern kingship in Zecha-

riah's day. But the real intent of the prophecy is to contrast the

differ-

ence

between God's way of ruling and the methods of earthly kings.

When the ancient Near Eastern king came riding into the capital, he

nearly always had a certain arrangement of his retinue. First would be sol-

diers, then dignitaries such as judges and courtiers. Then would come the

king, dressed in colorful array. Finally, following along, bound, and with

their heads shaven would be his captives. They were his pride and joy be-

cause they depicted his awesome power.

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem, there was no such portrayal of His

power. He came as the meek and lowly One in heart with "captives of His

salvation" following joyfully behind, but freed—because the truth had set

them free.

12.

How do you reconcile Jesus' forceful cleansing of the temple with

the description of Him as "humble, and mounted on an ass"

(Matt. 21:5, RSV)? Compare Matt. 21:12.

13.

What message is taught by the cleansing of the temple and the

events that immediately followed in regard to the kingdom of

grace and the kingdom of glory? Matt. 21:13-17.

Believers in Christ are described as temples for the indwelling of the

Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16,

17;

6:19, 20). As Jesus drove the money changers

out of the Jerusalem Temple, so He wants to drive sin out of our lives.

"And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the

temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk

in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Cor.

6:16).

Those who are purified temples for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit

Shofar.

The rams horn used in the ancient Hebrew Sanctuary system

to call the children of Israel to repentance.

Shofar.

Today God calls

His remnant people Jewand Gentile—to repent in this final

judgement hour.

Shofar.

A ministry to the world's largest Jewish

community, in Greater New York.

"In the dosing proclamation of the gospel... God expects his

messengers to take particular interest in theJewish people..."

Acts of the Apostles, 381.

Shofar

is a group of laypersons, pastors, and conference leaders, in-

cluding Jewish Seventh-day Adventists, who encourage Jews to find

fulfillment in their Messiah, Jesus.

Shofar

proclaims the essi-ntial

unity of Judaism and Adventism through publications, videos, musi-

cal and social programs, seminars and street witnessing. For more

information on how you can participate and receive witnessing ma-

terials, write:

Shofar

Box 1387

Manhasset, New York 11030

In associadcn wih the Greats(

NEW

York Conference of Seventh.day Advenists.

will inhabit the temple of God in heaven (Rev. 7:15). Are you allowing the

Lord to purify your life?

AM I A CITIZEN OF CHRIST'S KINGDOM?

•

Do I try to rule over my family, or is my authority in the home

based on truth and love?

•

Do I serve others in love continually, or do I try to serve only

when it is convenient or easy?

•

Do I admire Christ for His generosity, or do I feel that He should

reward me more when I do more work?

•

Do I enjoy working side by side with God so much that this

privilege is my favorite reward for service?

•

In leadership-type assignments, do I enjoy having power over those

under me, or do I go out of my way to keep them from being afraid of

me? Do I treat them as equals, or do I subtly demean them as in-

feriors?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "The Law of the New

Kingdom," "Thy King Cometh," and "The Temple Cleansed Again" in

The Desire of Ages,

chapters 60, 63, and 65, pp. 547-551, 569-579, 589-

600.

SUMMARY:

In Jesus, we have a picture of how our infinitely powerful

King treats His subjects for eternity. Only those who, like Him, are meek

and lowly in heart will find it a delight to be in His kingdom.

Lesson 10

March 4-10

The (elected King

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matt. 21:18 to 23:39.

SAB

MEMORY TEXT: "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the

Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with

all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the

second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets"

(Matthew 22:37-40).

THE KING FORSAKEN BY HIS SUBJECTS.

When Jesus came, He

was too humble for the proud, too kind for the overbearing, too gentle for

the power-hungry, and too soft for those who preferred the thunders and

terrors of Sinai. They rejected Him, the cornerstone of their faith. They

substituted legalism for love. What else could He do, when faced with their

hardness of heart and deteriorated spirituality, but give them up sadly to

their self-destruction and the designs of their enemies?

OUTLINE

A Barren People (Matt. 21:18-46).

II.

Wearing Christ's Character (Matt. 22:1-14).

III.

Jesus Answers His Critics (Matt. 22:15-46).

IV.

Preachers Who Do Not Practice (Matt. 23:1-39).

PRIDE DESTROYS, LOVE EXALTS.

"The evil that led to Peter's

fall and that shut out the Pharisee from communion with God is proving

the ruin of thousands today. There is nothing so offensive to God or so

dangerous to the human soul as pride and self-sufficiency. Of all sins it

is the most hopeless, the most incurable."—Christ's

Object Lessons,

154.

Pride comes in many different forms. It may be pride of appearance,

professional pride, intellectual pride, or spiritual pride. Whatever its form,

it is like a cancer that eats out the spiritual life of the individual, destroys

the effectiveness of Christ's work for the soul, alienates both God and

humans, and results in emptiness and disillusionment.

The story is told of a young prima donna rehearsing with the orchestra

of the famous Italian conductor Arturo Toscanini. At one point Toscanini

stopped the orchestra and corrected a mistake the singer had made. Angry

and embarrassed, she burst forth vehemently, "Mr. Toscanini I would re-

mind you that I am the star of this evening's performance!" Toscanini an-

swered, "Madam, the only stars that be are up in heaven. On this earth

there are good musicians and bad musicians and, so help me, you are a bad

one!"

Spiritual pride destroys the individual's relationship with God and

humanity.

Christ cannot live out His meek and holy life through one who

is so sure of his own holiness and religious superiority that he has rendered

himself unteachable. Spiritually proud people cannot see themselves as

they really are. They are very conscious of the spiritual inferiority and the

theological ignorance of the sinners around them, but they cannot discern

their own malady.

This was the basic problem of the scribes and Pharisees to whom Jesus

directed His stern rebukes. Jesus spoke to them as He did because their sit-

uation was desperate. Just as a loving friend would shout to a companion

who is about to fall into a deep pit, so Christ speaks forcefully to those

who have long resisted His voice. He uses language they can understand

and a tone that arrests their attention.

Tragically, most of the spiritually proud to whom Jesus spoke rejected

His earnest appeals. They failed to make appropriate application of His

teaching. Only as the life is filled with love to God and humanity can self

be viewed in true perspective. What is our reaction to Jesus' appeals? Are

we willing to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal how Jesus' words apply to us?

Will we allow Him to change us, or will we go blindly on in hopeless self-

assurance?

I. A BARREN PEOPLE (Matt. 21:18-46).

Jesus faithfully revealed to Israel's leaders and people the reason for

their spiritual destitution. In His messages to His disciples, as well as in

dialogue with the priests, elders, scribes, and Pharisees, He pointed out

with unmistakable clarity the heart of the problem.

What two lessons did Jesus teach by cursing the fig tree? Matt.

21:18-22.

Undoubtedly the disciples were familiar with the Lord's message given

through Jeremiah regarding the spiritual fruitlessness of the people.

"When I would gather them, says the Lord, there are no grapes on the

vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered, and what I gave

them has passed away from them" (Jer. 8:13, RSV). The tree that Jesus

cursed had all the signs of fruitfulness, but there was no fruit. Likewise,

His countrymen appeared pious but were bearing no fruit for the kingdom

of God. The externals of religion are not enough. "Faith working through

love" (Gal. 5:6, RSV) is not merely a matter of words and appearances.

When Christ lives within the believer, His life begets life.

Mark's parallel to this story indicates that the next morning "they saw

the fig tree withered away to its roots" (Mark 11:20, RSV). The wonder of

the disciples provided an opportunity for Jesus to stress the effectiveness of

faith in our work for Him. (Compare Matt. 21:22 with John 15:7, 16;

1 John 5:14.)

Why did Jesus refuse to tell the chief priests and elders by what

authority He did His works? Matt. 21:23-27.

MON

1.rt

Irttt



ing



March

Jesus

did

answer the question by implication. Putting the answer in

question form would compel the priests to admit a truth they did not wish

to accept. A positive answer would have been: "My authority comes from

a prophet's (John the Baptist's) recognition of me as the Messiah."

The response of the religious leaders revealed their hypocrisy. God

reveals light to those who are seeking for it (Matt. 7:7). He bestows

righteousness upon those who ask for it (Matt. 5:6; 6:33). The question

asked by the priests and elders did not result from a sincere desire for

truth. They already had ample evidence of His Messiahship in the

cleansing of the temple and in His wonderful works of healing. They

were looking for a statement from Jesus which they could use to con-

demn Him.

What was the great sin of Israel's religious leaders? Matt. 21:28-32.

"Self-righteousness is not true righteousness, and those who cling to it

will be left to take the consequences of holding a fatal deception. Many

today claim to obey the commandments of God, but they have not the love

of God in their hearts to flow forth to others. Christ calls them to unite with

Him in His work for the saving of the world, but they content themselves

with saying, 'I go, sir.' They do not go. They do not co-operate with those

who are doing God's

service."--Christ's Object Lessons,

p. 279.

Who was responsible for the judgment that came upon ancient Is-

rael? Matt. 21:33-46; compare Isa. 5:1-7.

Notice how the religious leaders condemned themselves (Matt. 21:41).

Jesus promptly quoted Psalm 118:22, 23. The identification of the "stone

which the builders rejected" (RSV) with the son and heir (Matt. 21:37-39)

should have been apparent. The application was devastating to the national

pride and personal aspirations of the religious leaders to whom Jesus was

speaking. "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away

from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it" (Matt. 21:43,

RSV).

The Son's life was taken, the gospel went to the Gentiles after the ston-

ing of Stephen (A.D. 34), and the remnants of national independence were

lost when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in A.D. 70. The worldwide

Christian church inherited the divine commission of making Christ known.

(See Rom. 9:6-8; 10:12, 13; Gal. 3:27-29.)

II. WEARING CHRIST'S CHARACTER (Matt. 22:1-14).

The parable of the marriage feast predicted Israel's final rejection of the

Messiah and the results that would follow from the world-wide preaching

of the gospel.

To what three historic invitations did Jesus refer? Matt. 22:1-10.

(See also

Christ's Object Lessons,

pp. 308, 309.)

Verses 1-3



Verses 4-7



Verses 8-10



To whom is the gospel invitation now extended? Rev. 3:20; 14:6, 7;

Isa. 55:1-3; John 3:15.

"And those servants went out into the streets and gathered all whom

they found, both bad and good; so the wedding hall was filled with guests"

(Matt. 22:10, RSV). The visible Christian church contains both "bad and

good." Not all church members are born-again Christians; not all belong

to the spiritual communion of true believers in Jesus Christ. "It was a

mixed company. Some of them had no more real regard for the giver of the

feast than had the ones who rejected the

call."—Christ's Object Lessons,

p. 309.

In the parable of the wheat and the tares, Jesus instructed, "Let both

grow together until the harvest" (Matt. 13:30). Judgment has not been

given to individuals. Nevertheless, the church, directed by the Holy Spirit,

has the responsibility of making some decisions regarding its members.

(See Matt. 18:18; 1 Cor. 5:1-5, 11-13; 6:1-6.)

When does the king come in to look at the guests (Matt. 22:11)?

Compare Dan. 7:9, 10, 13, 14; Rev. 14:6, 7.

What is given to those who accept Christ's invitation? Matt. 22:11;

compare Rev. 19:7, 8.

"Before the final reward is given, it must be decided who are fitted to

share the inheritance of the righteous. This decision must be made prior to

the second coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven; for when He comes,

His reward is with Him, `to give every man according as his work shall

be.' Rev. 22:12. . . .

"By the wedding garment in the parable is represented the pure, spot-

less character which Christ's true followers will possess.... It is the right-

eousness of Christ, His own unblemished character, that through faith is

imparted to all who receive Him as their personal Saviour... .

"By his perfect obedience He has made it possible for every human

being to obey God's commandments. When we submit ourselves to Christ,

the heart is united with His heart, the will is merged in His will, the mind

becomes one with His mind, the thoughts are brought into captivity to

Him; we live His life. This is what it means to be clothed with the garment

of His righteousness."—Christ's

Object Lessons,

pp. 310, 312.

What happens to those who profess to belong to Christ, but who

have not accepted His gift? Matt. 22:11-14.

The issue in the pre-advent judgment is precisely this: Who among

Christ's professed followers is wearing the robe of His righteousness? The

final answer to this question is determined for each individual by the court

of heaven. Those who are filled with the Holy Spirit have the righteous-

ness of Christ in their hearts (Rom. 8:9, 10; Eph. 3:16, 17). These are the

ones whose names are retained in the book of life for eternity. (See Dan.

12:1). Those who lack this experience have their names removed from the

book of life. (See Rev. 3:5.) Before Jesus comes, the final decision is

made in heaven concerning each person who claims to be His follower.

III. JESUS ANSWERS HIS CRITICS (Matt. 22:15-46).

10.

What financial responsibilities to the state and to God did Jesus

emphasize? Matt. 22:15-22.

The instruction here is thoroughly consistent with all the teaching of

Scripture on the issue of loyalty to God and to the secular authorities. (See

Mal. 3:8-12: Rom. 13:1-7.) Only when human authority runs counter to

God's authority are Christ's followers "to obey God rather than men"

(Acts 5:29).

11.

When Jesus said, "God is not the God of the dead, but of the

living," He was referring to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who had

long since died (Matt. 22:32). What did He mean?

What is the context? Study verses 28 and 31 in connection with verse

32. Study also Ecclesiastes 9:5, 6, 10; 1 Corinthians 15:17, 18, 51-54.

12.

When Jesus answered the lawyer, did He imply that love should

replace the Mosaic law? If not, what did He mean? Matt. 22:34-

40; compare Dent. 6:4-6; Lev. 19:18.

Would this scribe have agreed with Jesus if He had rejected the Mosaic

law as contrary to love? (See Mark 12:32, 33.) Why would Moses empha-

size the importance of love so strongly if it were opposed to law? What

does the New Testament teach regarding the continued function of the Ten

Commandments after the cross? (See Rom. 3:31; 7:7, 12, 14; 8:3, 4.) Why

were the ceremonial aspects of the Mosaic law abolished at the cross? (See

Heb. 7:26-28; 8:1-3; 9:11-14.)

13. What was the purpose of Christ's question regarding the son of

David? Matt. 22:41-45; compare John 5:18; 8:58, 59.

IV. PREACHERS WHO DO NOT PRACTICE (Matt. 23:1-39).

The sternest of all Jesus' words were not directed to the weak, the fla-

grantly sinful, the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but to the shepherds of

the flock. Because of their added responsibility, these religious leaders

were in a worse spiritual condition than those who, like Mary and Levi-

Matthew, were regarded as gross sinners.

At the heart of the picture were apparently pious but proud people who

felt no need, whose pride led to the oppression of others; to twisted, unbib-

lical reasoning, and, _ultimately, to the rejection and murder of God's own

Son.

14. Explain how Jesus' counsel to the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew

23) applies in principle to professed Christians today:

•

Verses 1-4



•

Verses 5-7



•

Verses 8-12



•

Verses 13, 14



•

Verse 15



•

Verses 16-22



(See

The Desire of Ages,

p. 616.)

•

Verses 23, 24



•

Verses 25-28



•

Verses 29-33



15.

What prediction did Jesus make of future suffering for His ser-

vants? How will this prediction be fulfilled toward the end of

time? Matt. 23:34-36; compare Matt. 24:9, 10; Rev. 13:15-17.

16.

What did Jesus' lament over Jerusalem imply regarding the

status of the chosen nation? What change of status do Christians

experience when they lose their relationship with Christ? Matt.

23:37-39; compare Jude 4, 10-19.

ejected

King

March

Centuries earlier, God had agonized over the northern kingdom of

Israel: "How can I give you up, 0 Ephraim! How can I hand you over, 0

Israel!" (Hosea 11:8, RSV). Later, through the. prophet Ezekiel, He

pleaded: " 'As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of

the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn

back from your evil ways; for why will you die, 0 house of Israel?' "

(Eze. 33:11, RSV).

Jesus' last words to Israel, His own special people, were spoken firmly

in language they could understand, but the tears in His voice (Luke 19:41)

revealed something of the depth of sorrow that only God can know as He

separates from those who have rejected Him.

DO I WEAR GOD'S CHARACTER?—,

•

Do I ever wish to use force to get people to do things my way, or

even God's way? Or am. I willing to allow others to choose for them-

selves?

•

In my daily interactions with others, do I keep in mind the' gracious

way Jesus treats everyone?

•

Do I make it hard for others to be Christians, or are they drawn to

Christ because of me?

•

When 1 have to deal with open sin in the lives of others, do

speak

in love and compassion as Christ did?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "The Temple

Cleansed Again," "Controversy," "Woes on the Pharisees," chapters 65,

66, and 67 in

The Desire of Ages,

pp. 589-620.

SUMMARY:

A spiritually barren people could never fulfill the prophetic

role that God had in mind for them. Because ancient Israelites had substi-

tuted their own righteousness for that of Christ, He had no choice but to

separate from them. They could argue about minutiae, but, in respect to

eternal issues, they were blind guides of the blind.

Lesson 11

March 11-17

Signs o the Coming

Kiingdom

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 24 and 25.

MEMORY TEXT: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be

preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then

shall the end come" (Matthew 24:14).

GOD GIVES US A CHANCE TO PREPARE.

Christ has given us a

very clear description of the events that will precede His coming. In the

same way that He warned the disciples of what to expect prior to the fall

of Jerusalem, He has given us a preview of the events and situations we

may expect before He comes again. He offers to enable us to know and

trust Him so that, like the five wise maidens and the two men who used

their talents carefully, we may welcome Him eagerly when He comes.

OUTLINE

The Most Important Signs (Matt. 24:1-28).

II.

Ready for His Coming (Matt. 24:29-51).

III.

The Bridegroom Comes (Matt. 25:1-13).

IV.

Fear Does Not Save (Matt. 25:14-30).

Inheritors of the Kingdom (Matt. 25:31-46).

DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING HIM?

To a business man

on his way home after a long trip, a sign can be very comforting, telling

him that he is close to his destination. To a newly arrested prisoner the

sight of the sign identifying a prison can be a very distressing experience.

To a loved child in a secure, happy home, the news that his father is return-

ing from a trip is exciting information. To an abused child, such news is

most alarming and terrifying.

In Matthew 24 and 25 Jesus discusses the signs, or indicators, of His

coming. Depending on how we view eternity, particularly the God with

whom we are to spend it, we will find the signs rewarding and glorious or

frightening. The four sons of a harsh father used to hide under the house

when they saw him coming home from work each evening because they

feared his wrath. If we see God as vindictive or arbitrary, we will wish to

hide from His coming. But if we have learned the truth about Him—that

He loves us as He loves His Son—and if we love Him supremely in return,

we will welcome Him in triumphant joy.

I. THE MOST IMPORTANT SIGNS (Matt. 24:1-28).

Jesus drew some parallels between the events leading up to the destruc-

SAB

tion of Jerusalem and the events that would occur immediately before His

second coming. "Jesus did not answer His disciples by taking up sepa-

rately the destruction of Jerusalem and the great day of His coming. He

mingled the description of these two events. Had He opened to His dis-

ciples future events as He beheld them, they would have been unable to

endure the sight. In mercy to them He blended the description of the two

great crises, leaving the disciples to study out the meaning for them-

selves."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 628.

Study Matthew 24:4-25, indicating below how Jesus used each sign

of the coming destruction of Jerusalem as a type of a similar event

immediately prior to His second advent.

What event of worldwide significance will occur before Jesus'

coming? Matt. 24:14.

Matthew 24:14 applies to the time of the end. At a time when nations

are in the greatest turmoil, when oppression has become immeasurable, the

good news of the kingdom is that God does not run His universe as earthly

tyrants run their governments, nor is He the cruel dictator that Satan repre-

sents Him to be.

The message of the atoning sacrifice of Christ is to be proclaimed to

sinners everywhere. The message that He "bore our sins in his body on the

tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness" (1 Peter 2:24,

RSV) is to be carried to every corner of the globe. Jesus is God's great gift

to sinners needing salvation and longing for eternal life.

3. Study Revelation 14:6-12 and note that four major features char-

acterize the "everlasting gospel" that will be preached throughout

the world before Jesus comes:

•

The pre-advent judgment message.

•

The Sabbath message.

•

The fall of antitypical Babylon.

•

A warning of the beast, its image, and its mark.

4. Why is endurance to the end necessary for salvation (Matt.

24:13)? Are we not saved by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8-10)?

No one likes the word

endurance

today. Most people prefer words like

instant, ready-made, prompt,

and

assured.

Many Christians regard en-

durance as a contradiction of their Christian freedom. Why endure?

tiO

An increasing number of false christs and false prophets will attempt to

lead astray the very elect through deception. Second Thessalonians 2:9 and

2 Corinthians 11:14 suggest that Satan will attempt to deceive the entire

world. (Compare Revelation 13:3, 13-14.) In the same way that he

deceived one third of the angels, Satan will attempt to ensnare all of

mankind.

The fact that we enjoy the blessings of present salvation in Christ does

not render us immune from temptation and possible deception in the fu-

ture. Only as we maintain our faith-grace relationship with Jesus on a

daily, hourly basis can we be kept from falling. The people whose names

are taken out of the book of life before Jesus' return (Rev. 3:5) are those

who have been genuine believers but who have failed to maintain their

saving relationship with Him.

There are conditions to salvation. One is that we respond by faith to

Christ's invitation (Acts 16:31). Another is that we abide in Him con-

stantly. (See Matt. 10:22; James 1:12; 5:11; John 15:9; Gal. 6:9; Heb. 12:1;

1 Peter 1:13; Rev. 3:11.)

5. What did Jesus mean by "the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the

prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place" (Matt. 24:15, RSV)?

The "abomination of desolation" or "desolating sacrilege" (RSV) is a

phrase taken from Daniel 8:13; 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. The phrase has three

applications:

Before the destruction of Jerusalem.

"When the idolatrous stand-

ards of the Romans should be set up in the holy ground, which extended

some furlongs outside the city walls, then the followers of Christ were to

find safety in flight. When the warning sign should be seen, those who

would escape must make no delay. Throughout the land of Judea, as well

as in Jerusalem itself, the signal for flight must be immediately

obeyed."—The

Great Controversy,

p. 26.

The work of the Papacy in the Middle Ages.

Daniel referred to

long centuries during which the "transgression of desolation" would sub-

jugate God's truth and His people (Dan. 8:13, 14). Jesus was referring to

the work of the little horn power of Daniel chapter 8. (See

The Desire of

Ages,

pp. 630, 631.)

The final great apostasy that will oppose God's truth and people

at the end of time.

The little horn power of Daniel 8 that is responsible for

the "abomination of desolation" is not destroyed until the return of Christ.

(See Dan. 8:25; compare Rev. 17:4, 5; 21:27.)

"It is no time now for God's people to be fixing their affections or lay-

ing up their treasure in the world. The time is not far distant, when, like the

early disciples, we shall be forced to seek a refuge in desolate and solitary

places. As the siege of Jerusalem by the Roman armies was the signal for

flight to the Judean Christians, so the assumption of power on the part of

our nation in the decree enforcing the papal sabbath will be a warning to

us. It will then be time to leave the large cities, preparatory to leaving the

smaller ones for retired homes in secluded places among the mountains.

And now, instead of seeking expensive dwellings here, we should be pre-

paring to move to a better country, even a

heavenly."—Testimonies, vol.

5, pp. 464, 465.

6. In view of the triple application of Matthew 24:15, 16 noted above,

what interpretations can be given to the following verses (Matthew

24:17-22)?

II. READY FOR HIS COMING (Matt. 24:29-51).

Most of the signs spoken of in Matthew 24 have been fulfilled. Since

the time of Christ nations have risen against nations, false messiahs have

arisen, God's people have suffered persecution, and people have been ab-

sorbed in temporal pursuits as if these were the only true values. And still

Jesus has not come. Why?

What does the parable of the faithful servant suggest about a

delay in Christ's coming? Matt. 24:45-51; compare 2 Peter 3:9.

This parable and those that follow may be termed "parables of pre-

paredness." They demonstrate in practical terms what it means to

"watch" and be ready for Christ's return.

Christ's people to be settled in the truth.

Revelation 7:1-3 indicates

that He is waiting for His people to become so settled into the truth that

they cannot be moved.

"Just as soon as the people of God are sealed in their foreheads—it is

not any seal or mark that can be seen, but a settling into the truth, both in-

tellectually and spiritually, so they cannot be moved—just as soon as

God's people are sealed and prepared for the shaking, it will come. Indeed,

it has begun already; the judgments of God are now upon the land, to give

us warning, that we may know what is coming."—Ellen G. White Com-

ments,

SDA Bible Commentary,

vol. 4, p. 1161.

What kind of character does the Lord desire each of His children

to possess before His coming? Rev. 3:1-5, 18, 19.

"We are to strive to enter in at the strait gate. But this gate does not

swing loosely on its hinges. It will not admit doubtful characters. We must

now strive for eternal life with an intensity that is proportionate to the

value of the prize before us. It is not money or lands or position, but the

possession of a Christlike character, that will open to us the gates of Para-

dise. It is not dignity, it is not intellectual attainments, that will win for us

the crown of immortality. Only the meek and lowly ones, who have made

God their efficiency, will receive this

gift."—Christian Service,

p. 247.

III. THE BRIDEGROOM COMES (Matt. 25:1-13).

To those who enjoy a trusting relationship with Christ, knowing that

their sins are forgiven, and that their lives are "hid with Christ in God"

(Col. 3:3), the thought of Christ's coming brings a deep longing to meet

Him and an intense fervor to win souls. While those who are afraid of God

may work as hard as those who are not, their toil is difficult and unsavory

and, in the end, is unproductive of good.

According to the parable of the virgins, what will qualify us to

meet Christ? Matt. 25:3, 4; compare Zech. 4:6.

The oil in the lamps is a reminder of the oil in the seven-branched

candlestick of the sanctuary. Zechariah chapter 4 depicts the oil flowing

from two olive trees into the candlesticks. The candlesticks themselves

represent God's people who, because of their connection with heaven, are

reflectors of His character. The oil is the central symbol of the vision, be-

cause it is the source of the light. Zechariah 4:6 applies the message. Thus

the oil is a symbol of the Spirit, who enlightens and empowers God's

people. As we allow the Holy Spirit to fill our lives, He is the means by

which Christ "the light of the world" is made known through us. (See

John 8:12; Matt. 5:14-16.)

Significantly, the "two olive trees" mentioned in Revelation 11:4-12

represent the Word of God, the Old and New Testaments. The oil used

in' ancient lamps was olive oil. It symbolizes how the Holy Spirit ex-

plains the Word to the earnest, prayerful student (John 16:13), who is

thereby built up in the faith and made ready to meet His Lord. These

two elements, prayerful Bible study and daily reception of the presence

of the Holy Spirit into the life, are essential to constant preparedness for

the coming of Jesus.

10.

What are we to gain from reading and studying the Bible? Ps.

119:11, 105.

"Why is it that our youth, and even those of more mature years, are so

easily led into temptation and sin? It is because the Bible is not studied and

meditated upon as it should be. If it were made the daily study, there would

be an inward rectitude, a strength of spirit, that would resist the tempta-

tions of the

enemy."—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students,

442.

"There is nothing more calculated to energize the mind and

strengthen the intellect than the study of the word of God. . . . If God's

word were studied as it should be, men would have a breadth of mind, a

nobility of character, and a stability of purpose that are rarely seen in

these

times."—Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students,

p. 460.

11. What is symbolized by the shut door? Matt. 25:10; compare Rev.

7:3; 8:5; 22:11.

IV. FEAR DOES NOT SAVE (Matt. 25:14-30).

In the parable of the talents, Jesus presented a contrast. An overseer

gave three men money according to their ability to use it, and then left.

Two of the men loved and trusted their master and joyfully went out to do

what they could for

Him.

As a result of their labors, they doubled the orig-

inal amount of money they were given. Unlike the first two, the third in-

dividual was afraid of his master, for he thought of him as hard, exacting,

and dishonest. The same master was joyfully served by the other two ser-

vants. The difference was in the misconceptions of the third man about his

master.

12. What did the third man do as a result of his fears? What does

this suggest about the way Christians sometimes behave? Matt.

25:25.

Although they would never admit it even to themselves, many Chris-

tians are afraid of God. They are especially afraid of His coming. Some-

times it is because they have not lived good lives. The parable shows that

often these fears are the result of misinterpretations of God's character.

Sin began in the world when Satan convinced our first parents to fear

God as a hard, difficult taskmaster, creating human beings for His own

selfish pleasure and then demanding worship and service of which He was

unworthy.

Love destroys fear.

There is a psychological factor in the story. Fear

destroys perseverance, trust, the force of the will, and all the ingredients

that enable individuals to use their gifts effectively.

We can serve God well only when we recognize Him to be what He is,

a trustworthy, lovable friend. Those who are faithful servants work the

hardest—not merely for the reward they will receive in heaven, but for the

joy of being with their Master and serving Him eternally.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to

do with punishment, and he who fears is not perfected in love. We love,

because he first loved us" (1 John 4:18, 19, RSV).

V. INHERITORS OF THE KINGDOM (Matt. 25:31-46).

Picture an ancient Near Eastern shepherd who is preparing his sheep for

the night. With staff in hand, a small goatskin of oil at his side, and care-

ful, watchful eyes, he guides the sheep into one section, and the goats into

another as they come to the feeding and drinking troughs.

13.

When does the judgment in the parable take place? Rev. 20:11-

15.

In one sense God does not decide—nor do the angels—who will be

saved or who will be lost. Individuals decide for themselves either for or

against eternal life. (See John 3:36; 1 John 5:11-14.) Right now, many are

still making those decisions. Our gracious God does not want any to be

lost. He wants all to come to repentance. He postpones His coming until

the saving .love of Christ and the truth about the consequences Of sin have

been made clear to all. (See 2 Peter 3:9.)

14.

Why is there such an emphasis on behavior and good works in

the parable of the sheep and the goats? Why are people judged

by their works (Rev. 22:12) when salvation is achieved by grace

through faith (Rom. 3:21, 22)? Compare Rom. 2:13; Eph. 2:10;

James 2:17, 18.

15.

What hope will there be in the final judgment for those who have

not had the Bible and Christian teachers? Rom. 2:14-16. (See

also

The Desire of Ages,

p. 638, and

Christ's Object Lessons,

385.)

AM I EAGER FOR JESUS TO COME?

•

If I am afraid of God, how can I overcome my fear?

•

How can I gain a deeper knowledge of God and a closer walk with

Christ?

•

How can my works be made acceptable to Christ?

•

What can

do to help others prepare for Jesus' coming?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "On the Mount of

Olives" and " 'The Least of These My Brethren,' " chapters 69 and 70 in

The Desire of Ages,

pp. 627-641; and "Talents" in

Christ's Object Les-

sons,

pp. 325-365.

SUMMARY:

Depending upon which side of the great controversy we

choose to be in relation to our God, we will either welcome Him eagerly

when He comes or run from Him in terror. That is why the important thing

in preparation for the final day is to watch. We are not merely to watch for

the signs, as important as they are, but to study His Word, pray, and wit-

ness, allowing His Spirit to pervade our lives and shine through to others.

Lesson

March 18-24

The King Condemned

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 26.

MEMORY TEXT: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and car-

ried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of

God, and afflicted" (Isa. 53:4).

SAB

uPMj

GOD LOVES HIS ENEMIES.

This fact was demonstrated by the gentle,

forgiving manner in which Jesus treated His enemies during the last few

hours of His life. His winsomeness at Simon's feast, His suffering in the

garden, His treatment of His betrayer, and His submission to the mob re-

vealed a God who is willing to sacrifice Himself for the salvation of a lost

world.

OUTLINE

Kindness Wins One and Loses Another (Matt. 26:1-16).

II.

Sharing the Cup (Matt. 26:17-35).

III.

The Crisis Hour (Matt. 26:36-46).

IV.

Victory Without a Sword (Matt. 26:47-56).

Silence Is Eloquence (Matt. 26:57-75).

PEACE IN THE MIDST OF TRIAL.

What should be our attitude when

we are treated unjustly for believing in Christ? The Bible predicts that trial

and persecution will come to those who are endeavoring to live wholly for

the Lord. The apostles taught "that we must through much tribulation

enter into the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22). Paul wrote to the Thes-

salonians: "For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we

should suffer tribulation" (1 Thess. 3:4). The beloved apostle John was

given a vision of the saved who have come "out of great tribulation, and

have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"

(Rev. 7:14).

Suffering, trial, and persecution are inevitable; not because God wants

His people to be unhappy, but because the devil and his followers are

doing all they can to turn people away from Christ. Jesus said, "The serv-

ant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also

persecute you" (John 15:20).

Jesus our example.

Jesus constantly is held up to us as the great ex-

ample of the way we should act when made to suffer for our faith. "For

even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving

us an example, that ye should follow his steps: . . . Who, when he was re-

viled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but com-

mitted himself to him that judgeth righteously" (1 Peter 2:21, 23).

In this lesson we will take a closer look at how Jesus responded during

the terribly stressful experience of His arrest and trial.

I. KINDNESS WINS ONE AND LOSES ANOTHER (Matt. 26:1-16).

The stage was set in a wealthy home around a banquet table at which

reclined the honored guest, the Messiah and future King. Around Him

were His twelve future princes, each of whom coveted the highest place in

the kingdom. His host was a familiar personage to those in Jerusalem—

wealthy, prestigious, competent in legal matters, but recently a changed

man, the product of one of the King's miracles. And there were others, but

they were supposed to remain in the kitchen, out of sight.

Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, seemingly oblivious to the

"pious" judgments of the assembled guests, crept into the dining room

where the guests were reclining at the table, broke an expensive flask of

extravagant perfume, and poured it on Jesus' feet, wiping them with her

long hair and washing them with her tears of love.

Though she did not intend anyone but Jesus to notice, the strong scent

soon betrayed her presence. Immediately, the. disciples and the host,

Simon, began to list their legal judgments. Surely, if Jesus knew her past,

He would have nothing to do with such a woman.

Judas' objection seemed very much to the point: " 'Why this waste?

For this ointment might have been sold for a large sum, and given to the

poor' " (Matt. 26:8, 9, RSV; compare John 12:4-6).

How did. Jesus answer these criticisms? Matt. 26:10-13.

Those who have suffered group criticism for some act of social kind-

ness or religious devotion can fully appreciate Jesus' words. There is

nothing so heartless and cruel as condemnation of those whom Christ

has forgiven and redeemed. Since Christ no longer condemns believers

(Rom. 8:1), what right do we have to remember their sins against them?

What was the result of Jesus' commendation of Mary? Matt.

26:14-16.

Judas's motives.

"Judas was treasurer for the disciples, and from their

little store he had secretly drawn for his own use, thus narrowing down

their resources to a meager pittance. . . . But had Christ unmasked Judas,

this would have been urged as a reason for the betrayal. And though

charged with being a thief, Judas would have gained sympathy, even

among the disciples. The Saviour reproached him not, and thus avoided

giving him an excuse for his treachery.

"But the look which Jesus cast upon Judas convinced him that the

Saviour penetrated his hypocrisy, and read his base, contemptible

character. And in commending Mary's action, which had been so

severely condemned, Christ had rebuked Judas. Prior to this, the Saviour

had never given him a direct rebuke. Now the reproof rankled in his

heart. He determined to be revenged. From the supper he went directly

to the palace of the high priest, where he found the council assembled,

and he offered to betray Jesus into their hands."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 559-564.

How do you react

when you are reminded of sins for which you know

Christ has forgiven you? Do you quietly turn to the Lord for reassurance,

or do you hotly defend yourself against the criticism?

II. SHARING THE CUP (Matt. 26:17-35).

What is the significance of the fact that Jesus knew beforehand

who would betray Him to the Jewish authorities? Matt. 26:21-25;

compare John 13:21-30.

The fact that Jesus knew of the betrayal plot should have been a deter-

rent to Judas, but he was so far gone in pride and greed that he was un-

willing to repent and right his wrong. •

In what symbolic way did the disciples share in Jesus' suffering?

Matt. 26:26-29.

The bread and grape juice do little for us in and of themselves. They

represent the death of Christ and remind us of His willingness to suffer for

our guilt. (See Isa. 53:6; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Cor 5:21.) It is only as we contem-

plate the significance of the atonement that we can truly understand for-

giveness, righteousness, and trust. Only then do we benefit from the Com-

munion service.

There is sorrow in the Communion service as we remember Jesus'

suffering. But there is joy, too, as we rejoice at the salvation He has pro-

vided and look forward to His return.

Why did the disciples refuse to share in Jesus' sufferings, desert-

ing Him at the time of His greatest need? Compare Matt. 26:30-35

with verse 56.

III. THE CRISIS HOUR (Matt. 26:36-46).

Jesus' sufferings began in Gethsemane. What He endured there was of

utmost significance to the onlooking universe in light of the great con-

troversy.

Why was Jesus' soul "very sorrowful, even to death" (Matt.

26:38, RSV)? What was the cup of which Jesus prayed that, if pos-

sible, He would be relieved (Matt. 26:39)?

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ "tasted the sufferings of death for

every

man"—The Desire of Ages,

p. 694.

Human guilt separated Him from His Father.

"But now He seemed

to be shut out from the light of God's sustaining presence. Now He was

numbered with the transgressors. The guilt of fallen humanity He must

bear. Upon Him who knew no sin must be laid the iniquity of us all. So

dreadful does sin appear to Him, so great is the weight of guilt which He

must bear, that He is tempted to fear it will shut Him out forever from His

Father's love. . . .

"He felt that by sin He was being separated from His Father. The gulf

was so broad, so black, so deep, that His spirit shuddered before it. This

agony He must not exert His divine power to escape. As man He must

suffer the consequences of man's sin. As man He must endure the wrath of

God against transgression. . . .

"As Christ felt His unity with the Father broken up, He feared that in

His human nature He would be unable to endure the coming conflict with

the powers of darkness. . . . Satan told Him that if He became the surety for

a sinful world, the separation would be eternal. He would be identified

with Satan's kingdom, and would nevermore be one with God."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 685-687.

Would you have slept

while Jesus agonized? Do you sometimes sleep

when you should be watching unto prayer? How can the habit of neglect-

ing prayer be overcome? (See the chapter in

Steps to Christ

entitled "The

Privilege of Prayer.")

IV. VICTORY WITHOUT A SWORD (Matt. 26:47-56).

What did Jesus call Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane? What

does this reveal about God and the way He treats His enemies?

Matt. 26:50.

Jesus demonstrated His own teaching.

In Jesus' treatment of Judas,

the angels must have seen how God treats His enemies. To call one's

betrayer "friend" is the greatest exemplification of "turning the other

cheek." How the loyal angels must have marveled as they heard Jesus give

this title to Judas!

What did Jesus mean by the words, "All who take the sword will

perish by the. sword" (Matt. 26:52, RSV)?

According to John's Gospel, it was Peter who cut off the ear of the high

priest's servant Malchus (John 18:10). According to Luke's record, a short

time before this, the disciples had interpreted literally Jesus' figurative lan-

guage

about needing a sword in the days of persecution. "And they said,

'Look, Lord, here are two swords' " (Luke 22:38, RSV). They still pic-

tured Jesus as a messiah who would forcefully defend himself and set up

the kingdom.

Peter was determined to demonstrate that Jesus' warning of his denial

was wrong. He would defend His Lord to the death!

V. SILENCE IS ELOQUENCE (Matt. 26:57-75).

In verbal conflict, the first to be silenced is usually the loser. Yet when on

trial before the high priest and the Sanhedrin, Jesus had very little to say.

Mere words do not convince people to believe what they are determined not

to believe. When men are possessed by demons, their minds are not changed

by defense or argument. Jesus' reticence was the best defense against the

Satanic legions that were trying to provoke Him to anger or bitterness.

If Peter had emulated Jesus' quiet reliance upon His Father, He would

never have allowed himself to be trapped into denying His Lord.

To whom was Jesus first led for questioning? What is the sig-

nificance of the events that occurred? John 18:12-14, 19-23.

According to ancient Hebrew law, the preliminary trials conducted

before Annas and Caiaphas were illegal. It was illegal to try a capital

charge at night. It was illegal for the prisoner to be questioned. It was the

business of the witnesses to arrest the accused, bring him to the court, and

to present the evidence to the court. An accused person could not be con-

demned on the basis of his own testimony.

Jesus' answer to Annas that he should question the witnesses regarding

His work and teaching was a plea that He be given His legal rights as a

Jewish citizen. The officer's act of striking Jesus was an act of brutality

that was not tolerated by Hebrew law. Despite that, in this instance it was

permitted and unpunished.

10.

In the trial before Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin, how did Jesus

respond to the conflicting testimony that was given against Him?

Matt. 26:59-63.

An ancient principle.

A Hebrew capital trial followed the principle

stated by Moses: "On the evidence of two witnesses or of three wit-

nesses he that is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to

death on the evidence of one witness" (Deut. 17:6, RSV). The two

major witnesses against Jesus presented conflicting testimony. Assuming

that Mark and Matthew present these two different pieces of testimony,

it is easy to see why they were rejected. Mark records that the testimony

was, "We heard Him say, 'I will destroy this temple' " (Mark 14:58,

NKJV). Matthew records that the testimony was, "This fellow said, 'I

am able to destroy the temple of God' " (Matt. 26:61). The first state-

ment could be interpreted as a direct threat to the Temple; the second

could hardly be regarded as anything but an idle boast. Because the two

reports were so variant, the testimony was rejected by the court.

Jesus was misunderstood.

What Jesus' persecutors did not understand

was that His statement, which had been distorted by the witnesses, was a

reference to the temple of His body, which He would allow to be de-

stroyed, but which would be raised on the third day. (See John 2:18-22.)

11.

Why did Jesus finally speak in answer to one of Caiaphas's ques-

tions? Matt. 26:63, 64.

"In order to emphasize the ominous gravity of the question and the im-

possibility of refusing an answer, the high priest places Jesus 'under oath,'

the weightiest oath of all, namely, 'by the living God.' "—William Hen-

driksen,

The Gospel of Matthew,

p. 931.

Although it was illegal to condemn an accused person to death on the

basis of his own testimony, Caiaphas had no alternative now that the wit-

ness against Jesus had been brought into disrepute.

Jesus could not remain silent to this demand because His relationship

with His Father was called into question. To remain silent would have im-

plied a doubt as to His deity and messianic mission. Mark records that

Jesus answered, "I am" (Mark 14:62). The answers recorded by Matthew

(26:64) and Luke (22:70) were simply polite ways of saying the same

thing. "Thou hast said" meant "Yes." Traditionally a cultivated Jew

would respond to a serious question in this idiomatic way. Courtesy for-

bade a direct "Yes" or "No."

12.

What did Jesus' answer imply in regard to a special resurrection

of some people immediately before His second coming? Matt.

26:64; compare Rev. 1:7; Dan. 12:2.

13.

Should Peter have remained silent when questioned about his

relationship with Jesus? Why did Peter lie? Why did he not

despair when he fell? Matt. 26:69-75; compare Luke 22:61, 62.

"If he had been called to fight for his Master, he would have been a

courageous soldier; but when the finger of scorn was pointed at him, he

proved himself a coward. . . . At the same time Peter's eyes were drawn to

his Master. In that gentle countenance he read deep pity and sorrow, but

there was no anger there.

"The sight of that pale, suffering face, those quivering lips, that look of

compassion and forgiveness, pierced his heart like an arrow."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 712, 713.

AM I READY TO SHARE THE CUP?

Do I admire the way Jesus reacted to His enemies? How can I

'u11 King Condemned



WELEtkiffl

develop a character that will stand the test of opposition without being

crushed and defeated?

•

Am I polite and gracious to those who misrepresent Him? What is

the secret of such graciousness in times of stress and rejection?

•

Do I seek the healing of others whenever possible? How can I con-

tribute to their healing?

•

Am I willing to acknowledge my relationship with Jesus under any

circumstances?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION: Read "Gethsemane," and

"Before Annas and the Court of Caiaphas," chapters 74 and 75 in

The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 685-715.

SUMMARY: It is humbling to human self-righteousness and pride to real-

ize how very meek and lowly of heart the King of the universe is. Christ's

attitudes and reactions during His arrest and trial demonstrate infinite love

for His persecutors and for humanity in general.

Lesson

March 25-31

Victory hot Defeat

THIS WEEK'S STUDY: Matthew 27 and 28.

MEMORY TEXT: "And Jesus came and spake unto them,

saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye

therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of

the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching

them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:

and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

Amen" (Matthew 28:18-20).

JESUS' DEATH BROUGHT VICTORY.

To His discouraged followers,

Jesus' death was an ironic, bewildering anticlimax to His mission. Only

after His resurrection did they grasp the eternal significance of His accom-

plishment. Jesus bore the guilt of all humanity on the cross, and rose to set

believers free. Satan's kingdom is doomed irrevocably. This exciting news

is to go to earth's remotest bounds, and in the hereafter it will forever be

the science and song of the redeemed.

OUTLINE

Remorse Not Repentance (Matt. 27:1-10).

II.

Meekness in Mistreatment (Matt. 27:11-31).

III.

It Is Finished! (Matt. 27:32-56).

IV.

Raised to Set Us Right (Matt. 27:57-28:10).

In His Name (Matt. 28:11-20).

WHY DID JESUS DIE?

What did Jesus Christ accomplish for us when

He died on Calvary's cross? That is a question that has been discussed for

centuries by students of the Bible. Some have concluded that Jesus showed

us how to die as He had shown us how to live. They have emphasized the

moral influence that Jesus' life and death have upon us. When we study

His life and death we want to copy Him.

Undoubtedly Jesus' moral influence on humanity was enormous, and

His death on the cross was a major aspect of that influence. But His death

has a much deeper meaning than that.

Christ suffered our punishment.

Since eternal death is the result of

sin (Rom. 6:23), no one could ever have eternal life unless someone

should step in and suffer in the sinner's place. That is exactly what

Jesus did. Only God Himself could pay the penalty for the sin of the en-

tire world. Only He was capable of enduring such infinite suffering.

"Only He who created man had power to redeem

him."—Patriarchs

and Prophets,

p. 65. God alone had life in Himself and could rise from

the dead to continue His work of redemption.

The law that humanity had broken is the expression of the character of

God; hence it was God's role to demonstrate that it could be obeyed per-

fectly. He also chose for Himself the role of bearing the world's punish-

ment for breaking the law. Jesus. Christ tasted "death for every man"

(Heb. 2:9). "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto

them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto

salvation" (Heb. 9:28).

I. REMORSE NOT REPENTANCE (Matt. 27:1-10).

What was the purpose of the early morning session of the San-

hedrin? Matt. 27:1, 2; Luke 22:66-71.

Not all members of the Sanhedrin had been present at the night session

which had condemned Jesus on the basis of His testimony that He is the

Son of God. Luke filled in some of the details that Matthew omitted. At

this morning session Jesus again admitted that He was the Messiah and re-

peated. His prediction that ultimately they would see Him coming in glory.

Now the crafty priests and elders believed they had sufficient evidence to

have Pilate convict Jesus of sedition.

At this morning session of the council, what kind of sorrow for sin

did Judas manifest? Matt. 27:3-5; compare 2 Cor. 7:9, 10.

Judas admitted that he had sinned and that. Jesus was innocent. His

confession exposed the wickedness of the priests who had used him ille-

gally in the arrest of Jesus. Yet he was spiritually no more secure than

they were. Genuine confession and repentance is not sorrow for con-

sequences. It is sorrow for sin for the right reasons, and includes a

desire to stop sinning.

A sense of condemnation and judgment.

"Judas now cast himself

at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and en-

treating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His

betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was

forced

from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking

for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had

betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel.

Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon

Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world."—The

Desire of

Ages,

p. 722.

How did the priests display their legalism and hypocrisy? Matt.

27:6-10.

How remarkably inconsistent were these so-called religious leaders.

They considered what might be legal for them to do with Judas' money,

but they had no concern for the illegal manner in which they had used

Judas, or for the illegality of the arrest and trial of Jesus. Even while they

were earning for themselves an enormous degree of guilt, they were care-

ful to follow a legal nicety in regard to the disposal of a relatively small

amount of money.

Are there inconsistencies in our religious lives?

Do we cherish sin

while meticulously obeying certain rules and regulations? What remedy

would Jesus suggest?

II. MEEKNESS IN MISTREATMENT (Matt. 27:11-31).

"As a lamb [that is led] to the slaughter, . . . so He opened not his

mouth" (Isa. 53:7, NKJV). It is easy for many to see divine Kingship in

Jesus when He changed water to wine, healed the sick, cast out demons

with a word, and raised the dead. But when, beaten and tortured, He turned

the other cheek, and was stricken again, we tend to call Him the "Suffer-

ing Servant" or the "Sacrificial Lamb," forgetting that at that moment,

more than ever, He was "King of kings and Lord of lords."

4. In the light of the evidence presented in the verses listed below,

consider Pilate's character:

Luke 23:13-16



Matt. 27:18, 19



Matt. 27:24, 26



Matt. 27:27-31



Acts 3:13



"Pilate longed to deliver Jesus. But he saw that he could not do this,

and yet retain his own position and honor. Rather than lose his worldly

power, he chose to sacrifice an innocent life. How many, to escape loss or

suffering, in like manner sacrifice principle. Conscience and duty point one

way, and self-interest points another. The current sets strongly in the

wrong direction, and he who compromises with evil is swept away into the

thick darkness of guilt."—The

Desire of Ages,

p. 738.

What became of Pilate?

"Later Pilate massacred many Samari-

tans. . . . The Samaritans complained about his needless cruelty to [Pi-

late's] superior, Vitellius, the legate of Syria, who ordered Pilate to go to

Rome and justify his conduct before the emperor. At the same time Vi-

tellius appointed a new procurator over Judea. Before Pilate arrived in

Rome, Tiberius died, but it is said that Pilate was nevertheless banished to

Vienne on the Rhone, in the south of Gaul (now France), and that he died

a suicide."—SDA

Bible Dictionary,

pp. 885, 886.

III. IT IS FINISHED! (Matt. 27:32-56).

Since the death of Christ the cross has symbolized His victory to Chris-

tians. But on that tragic Passover Friday in A.D. 31, the cross seemed to

the disciples and other followers of Jesus to be a token of utter defeat.

Their King and Deliverer of Israel was dying. He who had delivered others

from the power of death would not now deliver Himself. How could this

be? Had they been able to see beyond this tiny planet, they might have

heard the shouts of victory that came from a universe that recognized the

true significance of the events that were transpiring.

What do Jesus' statements from the cross reveal concerning His

character and work?

Luke 23:34



John 19:26, 27



Luke 23:43



Matt. 27:45, 46



John 19:28



John 19:30



Luke 23:46



The Father's approval withdrawn.

"God and His holy angels were

beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not

revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human be-

holder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was

not to be comforted with the Father's presence. He trod the wine press

alone, and of the people there was none with

Him."—The Desire of Ages,

pp. 753, 754.

"God suffered with His Son. In the agony of Gethsemane, the death of

Calvary, the heart of Infinite Love paid the price of our redemption."—

Steps to Christ,

pp. 13, 14.

What was the significance of the events that occurred when Jesus

died? Matt. 27:51-53.

The fact that the veil of the sanctuary was torn "from the top to the bot-

tom" indicates that it was the act of a divine hand. For the purpose of the

veil within the temple or sanctuary see Exodus 26:33; compare 25:21, 22.

On the significance of the rending of the veil at the death of Jesus see He-

brews 6:19, 20; 10:19-22; compare 8:1, 2; 9:11-14.

The fact that many of the sleeping saints were raised with Jesus pro-

vides an explanation of how the "twenty-four elders" came to be before

the throne of God, as seen in John's symbolic vision (Rev. 4:4). There are

redeemed human beings in heaven who were raised with Jesus as the first

fruits of His sacrifice. They were able to testify to His divine mission

before the ascension, and now they are assisting in His high priestly min-

istry.

•

7. What do the following passages indicate that Jesus accomplished

by His death?

I Peter 2:21



1 Peter 2:24



1 John 2:1, 2



Rev. 12:10



Jesus' accomplishments on the cross were in view of His successfully

bearing the guilt of humanity. The separation of the members of the God-

head because of human guilt involved infinite suffering that humanity

never can fully understand.

Christ's suffering explained.

"Although full of suffering, while bear-

ing the sins of the world, He was not indifferent to the expression of

grief. . . .

"God suffered His wrath against transgression to fall on His beloved

Son. . . .

"Jesus was earning the right to become the advocate of men in the

Father's presence. . . .

"Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us

all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the

condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was

pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible

manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of

His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a

fallen world the gobd news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love.

Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the

terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling

face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this

hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never

be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical

pain was hardly felt.

"Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The

Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present

to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the

Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to

God that Their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the anguish which

the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It

was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's sub-

stitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son

of God."—The

Desire of Ages,

pp. 743-753.

Victory

ail



ELERith

IV. RAISED

TO SET US RIGHT (Matt. 27:57-28:10).

What do we know of the two men who took part in the burial of

Jesus? Matt. 27:57-61; John 19:38, 39.

What is the significance of the manner in which Jesus' tomb was

secured? Matt. 27:62-66.

10.

How can we be sure that Jesus was crucified on a Friday, spent

the weekly Sabbath resting in the tomb, and rose early Sunday

morning? Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 23:54-24:1, 21, 46;

1 Cor. 15:4.

El 11. What is the significance for the world of Jesus' resurrection from

the dead? Matt. 28:2-10; Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:16-23.

Both Christ's death and resurrection are essential for our salvation.

According to Romans 5:9, we are put right "by his blood." In Romans

3:28 we are put right "by faith." In verse 24, "by his grace." According

to 1 Cor. 6:11, we are put right by "the name of the Lord Jesus" Christ.

The dying Saviour bore our guilt; the living Saviour delivers us from sin.

Jesus "was raised again for our justification" (Rom. 4:25). Because He in-

tercedes for us in the heavenly sanctuary, applying for us the merits of His

sacrifice, our sins can be forgiven, and we can be delivered from the do-

minion of darkness. (See Heb. 7:25; Rom. 6:9-11.)

The resurrection of the righteous was made possible by Christ's resur-

rection. (See 2 Cor. 4:14; 1 Thess. 4:14.)

V. IN HIS NAME (Matt. 28:11-20).

12. Compare the two kinds of witnesses Matthew describes. Matt.

28:11-15, 19.

How inconceivable was the story that the disciples stole Jesus' body

from the tomb while the Roman guards slept!

•

If the story had been true the Jewish authorities would have been

the first to demand the punishment of the guards.

•

It is extremely unlikely that all the guards would be asleep at the

same time.

•

If the story were true the disciples and all those who preached the

resurrection of Christ were liars. How unlikely it is that liars could

Every member:

praying . . giving .

proclaim the resurrection with such confidence, power, and effective-

ness! If they had known the story to be a lie, why would so many of

them have been willing to lay down their lives for their faith?

13. Why can we witness for Christ with confidence and courage,

whatever our circumstances? Matt. 28:18, 20; compare Acts 4:31.

AM I REJOICING IN CHRIST'S DEATH AND RESURRECTION?

•

What has happened in my life as I have accepted the truth of

Christ's death and resurrection?

•

Am I eager to share my knowledge of Christ with others? What

positive experiences have I had as I have shared my faith in His death

and resurrection?

FURTHER STUDY AND MEDITATION:

Read "In Pilate's Judgment

Hall," " 'It Is Finished,' " " 'The Lord Is Risen,' " and "Go Teach All

Nations," chapters 77, 79, 81, and 86 in

The Desire of Ages,

pp. 723-740,

758-768, 779-787, and 818-828.

SUMMARY:

The mistreatment, death, and resurrection of Christ reveal as

nothing else can how much God cares for sinners. No earthly king would

ever act as Jesus did while possessing the power to break the bonds of

death. When Jesus died Satan's kingdom was defeated. The penalty for the

sins of humanity was paid, and our redemption was assured. Jesus rose as

recognized King of the universe and returned to heaven to apply for us the

blessings of His sacrifice.

Lessons For Second Quarter, 1990

Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult Lessons

for the second quarter of 1990 will be helped by the following outline in studying

the first two lessons. The title of this quarterly covering the book of Galatians is

"Christ the Only Way."

First Lesson: "Jewish and Gentile Christianity In

Conflict"

THIS WEEK'S STUDY:

Passages

from Acts chapters 1, 8-11,13-15.

MEMORY TEXT: Acts 1:8

WHY THIS LESSON IS IMPORTANT TO YOU: Under divine guidance and

the wise administration of its leaders the church can remain true to the gospel of

Christ, maintaining unity among its members despite their differing cultural and

religious backgrounds.

OUTLINE:

Into All the World (Acts

1:8)

II.

The Gospel Beyond Judea (Acts 8:4-40)

III.

The Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9-11)

IV.

Paul's First Missionary Journey (Acts 11:19-21; 13; 14)

The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15)

Second Lesson: "Called By God"

THIS WEEK'S STUDY:

Galatians 1

MEMORY TEXT: Galatians 1:3, 4

A MESSAGE FROM GOD. Paul's message of salvation by grace did not

come from any human source. God gave him special revelations, which not only

invested upon him apostolic authority but also clarified for the church in every

age the relationship between grace and works. To accept Paul's gospel is to accept

the Lord Jesus Christ who gave it to him.

OUTLINE:

Paul's Divine Call (Gal. 1:1-5)

II.

A False Gospel (Gal. 1:6-10)

III.

The True Gospel (Gal. 1:11, 12)

IV.

Paul's Life in Judaisms (Gal. 1:13, 14)

Paul's First Years as a Christian (Gal. 1:15-24)

LESSONS IN BEAILE:

The regular Adult Sabbath School Lessons are available free each month in Braille and 16 2/3 rpm

records to blind and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink print. This includes in-

dividuals who because of arthritis, multiple schlerosis, paralysis, accident, old age, and so forth, cannot

hold or focus on normal ink-print publications. Contact the Christian Record Braille Foundation, Box 6097,

Lincoln, NE 68506.

of the General Conference

Study Helps for the Book of Daniel

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A must for every serious student of Bible prophecy

All for only US$17.95. Postpaid.

Order from: The Biblical Research Institute

General Conference of SDA

6840 Eastern Avenue, NW

Washington, DC 20012

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Chapels, Franco-Haitian Union

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Members

Division

Antillian

14,511240

433

88,679

Caribbean

3,336,289

389

99,743

Central American

25,773,824

492

146,099

Colombia-Venezuela

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132,610

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os of December 31, 1987)